It was almost a local celebration as Peter Graham and the Craig Martin-trained Mapmaker hammered out a leading edge entering the final 100m only for the seven-year old Gosford gelding to charge late and notch his 12th and best win.

Steve Clarke bought Timeless Prince from the Patinack sale and has raced him with Tony Newing for all 67 starts.

“He tries all the time,” a delighted Clarke said after the short neck win.

“We thought he might have finished up racing in Queensland but we brought him back.”

Timeless Prince was having his ninth start this preparation but Newing knew he would run well despite having raced just last Saturday when third at Randwick.

“I had to run him here to qualify for the Country Cup (at Scone),” Newing said.

“He’s now won 12 races and 10 of them different tracks. 

“There wouldn’t be too many horses that have done that.”

Sunday was his second win at Tamworth too.

Craig Martin was thinking Timeless Prince might be a scratching so as to allow his horse, Mapmaker, to run.

As it was he obtained a run and while he finished a close second, another emergency, Hammoon Boy (trained by Sue Grills) was a length away third.

“He couldn’t have done any better,” Martin said of both horse and jockey.

“This horse is going to win a good race but gee I was hoping it would be this one.”

He has a few options with his gelding.

Spell and then go to Brisbane after the Winter carnival or stay and try and run in the Country Cup at Scone.

“If he didn’t get a run today I was going to go to Rosehill next weekend and I thought it might be an easier race,” he said.

Martin has now run three thirds and a second in the Tamworth Cup.