The Southland junior driver has four drives at Forbury Park tonight but, barring an unscheduled trip to Canterbury in the next two weeks, tonight's meeting could be his lot before the new season begins on August 1.
Regardless, McIlwrick would settle for the 25 wins this season if things do not go his way tonight.
''I'm happy enough - I would have been rapt with 20, so 25 was really good,'' he said.
It could be touch and go whether next year's season in the junior driving ranks is McIlwrick's fifth and final term.
That depends on how many wins he picks up next year.
''It's meant to be my last year next year, but if you get under 75 [wins], you get another year.''
One of those wins could come from Jaccka Emberz in race 3 tonight.
The Geoff and Jude Knight-trained 4yr-old will start out wide in the junior drivers mobile pace, but McIlwrick would like to see the gelding lift from his fifth at Oamaru on Sunday.
''I know he had a poor draw at Oamaru but we ended up getting nearly the perfect run through,'' he said.
''We ended up three-wide with cover and we never went around a runner until the 500m. He probably was a wee bit disappointing so, hopefully, he's improved from that.
''I think the 2200m will suit him more than the 2600m - that probably found him out a bit.''
Lauras Legacy (race 4) might also get posted early, which is not ideal when useful pacers such as Highview Illusion and Tartan Troubles are inside her.
Her form is hard to fault, a last-start third following on from a win at Forbury on June 26 courtesy of two smart drives from Dexter Dunn.
''The draw is not a great help and it got a pretty good trip last start.
''There are some harder ones here but, hopefully, the speed is on and we can come over the top of them late.
''Dexter has been driving her, so her ideal style is probably getting the perfect trip.''
The draw for Minstrel Boy (race 8) is slightly more kind, and McIlwrick will look to dictate the speed early if the Hamish Hunter-trained runner shows some manners at the start.
''Hamish's horses are pretty tough, so you've just got to step away and run on a wee bit if you're leading or trailing and make the others work,'' he said.
Lima Lad's has offered little in his past four starts, but McIlwrick hopes a c0-c1 trot field light on depth could give the rising 9yr-old a boost of confidence.
''I think he was better the other day and improved from his previous runs. It's a reasonably weak sort of field so if he ever was to step up it should be this week anyway.''
Robbie Close had two reasons to celebrate Pammys Boy's win at Addington last night.
Not only did the win on the $21 outsider take the Canterbury reinsman to 100 career wins but it also earned the Australasian young drivers champion the New Zealand junior title.
Close collected a third in the opening heat with The Persuader but had to sit out the second heat and earn the default seven points due to a lack of numbers in the race.
Close was tied for fourth with Jack MacKinnon and Michael Blakemore going into the final heat before Pammys Boy grabbed the last win by a nose over the Kyle Marshall-driven Blue Don.
