Matthew Williamson is itching to get into the harness racing hot seat at Cromwell tomorrow.
The Oamaru reinsman has received the call-up to drive two strong winning threats on the first of two days of harness racing over the weekend in Eurokash and Homebush Lad.
Williamson is no stranger to wearing the Greg and Nina Hope colours but will link up with Eurokash for the first time in the feature trot.
And the driver thinks he can make the most of his opportunity.
"It is great to get on two good chances for Greg and Nina on Friday.
"They have been great to me over the years and we have had a bit of luck.
"Eurokash looks a great chance — it is a bit of a drop back in grade for him.
"He’s a nice horse and if he can get away and get a nice enough run he should be a great chance."
Homebush Lad did not get a run to suit in his last start in last weekend’s Gore Summer Cup.
But the pacer can bounce back in tomorrow’s pacing feature.
"Miraculous looks the horse to beat but Homebush Lad has to be a good each-way chance.
"He loves the grass and the longer distance."
Williamson drives eight horses with Florence The Machine rating among his best winning threats on ability.
But the trotter has been making plenty of early errors recently which she cannot afford to repeat.
"She’s been making mistakes and making up plenty of ground afterwards.
"Hopefully, she is getting a bit closer to doing things right because she has the ability there to win a race like that on Friday if she can get away."
The Williamson-trained Pyramid Rose clashes with Florence The Machine tomorrow.
"She has been a bit the same lately. She’s made a couple of mistakes but the ability is definitely there."
Despite his patchy formline Mighty Miki, looks a winning hope for Williamson.
The pacer was checked early in his last start at Gore and had little hope after.
Jay Bee Hill and She’s A Jewel look top-four hopes among the reinsman’s outside drives.
While Harold Hanover rates the clear outsider of Williamson’s drives, he would not be surprised if the pacer ran a cheeky race.
"He won the last time I drove him and he beat Captain Amore who has been going well since."
"If he got a soft run from the draw it wouldn’t surprise me if he went a cheeky race. The horses in that grade are very even."
Williamson also links up with Cruising Fontana who must contend with barrier 8 in race 1.
