Those runners are Midnight Montana, Double Martini and Kanye Crusader.

Before the local meeting, Tamworth trainer Richard Williams will head to Sydney on Saturday night to compete at the Tabcorp Park Menangle meeting with Gottashopearly.

Gottashopearly will commence from the six barrier in the Cordina Foods Pace (heat 2) in the hope of making it into a $25,000 final on March 2 - Miracle Mile night at Menangle, which will be a Lady Drivers' Invitational.

“It would be nice if he did qualify but it’s not that easy in that grade,” stated Williams. “[But] I have to be confident that he can beat them to qualify.”

Gottashopearly will make the trip to Menangle after competing in the $35,000 Moama Bowling Echuca Cup last Friday night, where he finished third to Buster Brady.

“We were happy with his efforts [in the Class 3 race],” said Williams. “Everyone was talking about Buster Brady.”

The race was won by favourite Buster Brady (Kima Frenning), with the 2560 metres covered in a mile rate of 1min 58.5sec.

“He (Gottashopearly) was taking ground off them … it was a good run," said Williams.

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Commenting on the 1609m Menangle race, Williams said "we will have to roll forward for sure”.

“They might be faster over the mile down there but none in the field will be stronger than him - we will test them,” he said.

Williams has retained Leigh Sutton to take the drive behind Gottashopearly.

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“Leigh was happy with him at Echuca. The horse has had a good week and he had pulled up well after the trip to Echuca,” said the trainer.

Gottashopearly has been in fine racing form after taking out the Garrard’s Horse & Hound Tamworth City Cup in January.

At Tamworth on Sunday, the Williams stables will kick off their campaign with Midnight Montana (six barrier) in the Hygain Tracktorque Pace.

Midnight Montana will come into the 1980m event after being a travel companion to Gottashopearly to Echuca, where he had no luck.

“He kept getting shuffled back in the race at Echuca,” said Williams. “Six is a bad draw for him [at Tamworth] but hopefully he will get some breaks in the race and will come home - you can’t write him off.

“He mainly went to Echuca as a travel companion to Gottashopearly - his run looked ordinary on paper.” 

Williams will have two runners engaged in the The Johns Auto Service Best of The Bush Pace on Sunday including Double Martini (one barrier), whom the trainer will pilot.

“We have finally got a good draw with her,” said Williams. “She has been knocking on the door and has improved so I think she is definitely a chance - she tries hard.”

Double Martini, a former Hunter Valley horse, will be having her third race start for the Williams stables.

Stablemate and last-start winner at Tamworth, Kanye Crusader, will commence from the 10 barrier in the same race - and will be looking for a third win on the trot.

“It makes it hard for him after winning two races," said Williams, "and now he has jumped up to a harder grade.

Maitland reinsman Brad Elder will steer the horse.

“We think he has got a bit of a future,” said Williams of Kanye Crusader who has had seven race starts for two wins.

The top three horses from the race progress to the $15,000 final at Wagga, on what will be the opening meeting of the new track there.