Kid Montana is expected to increase his lead in the local horse of the year premiership when he takes to Tamworth Paceway on Thursday night.
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Drawing the nine barrier in the Sky Racing Active Pace, Kid Montana will have the services of Tamworth reinsman Scotty-Jon Welsh.
The 10-race meeting will wrap up the 2018/19 racing season, with the club's premiership then announced.
"The horse [Kid Montana] is pretty much up against a similar field as he has in other races that he has been in," stated Chris Shepherdson, the part-owner and regular driver of Kid Montana, who has elected to hand the reins to Welsh on this occasion.
"He is not a certainty but he will be thereabouts."
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Welsh has only had one other drive behind Kid Montana, which produced a win in the Wee Waa Cup back in April, on the pacer's home track of Narrabri.
Regardless of the race result on Thursday night, Kid Montana will pick up two trophies at the upcoming Tamworth HRC Awards night: the 067 Local Trained Horse gong, sponsored by PeterMac Photography, and the KTR Standardbred[sponsored horse of the year gong.
Kid Montana has recorded eight wins, six seconds and four thirds from 32 race starts this season.
"It [the award] is a good reward for his consistency," Shepherdson said. "You don't set out to win these awards but it's nice to receive them.
"The horse has been a very honest horse and just got better with each start.
"He was a cheap buy with plenty of return and [has] more wins to come, hopefully."
It is a family affair for the Shepherdson clan, with Peter Shepherdson handling the training of Kid Montana. He is also a co-owner of the horse.
The other co-owners are Nathan Dicks, Charles Dicks, Gary Shepherdson and Neil Drysdale.
"Peter is the trainer but it certainly is a team-family effort around our stables," Chris Shepherdson said.
"We are in the horses to have fun and enjoyment - picking up a cheque is also a good thing."
So what was the best run produced by Kid Montana this season, as seen through the eyes of Shepherdson.
"It would have to be his win in the Narrabri Cup," he said.
"It was a win on his local track and the locals got to see a good local horse."
Kid Montana commenced his racing career back in March 2018, having a first-up win on the Armidale Paceway.
His career tally now stands at 15 wins and 13 placings and a prize purse of $66,975 from 46 race starts.
Thursday night will also see the career of Jemma Coney launched, when she makes her driving debut in the Hazells Farm And Fertilizer Service's Ladyship Pace.
Coney has had great success in the mini trot ranks and is set to make that step up to the bigger league.
