The first heat could make all the difference for Brad Williamson in tonight's New Zealand junior drivers' championship at Addington.
The Oamaru junior driver has fared quite well with the random draws for the three heats, picking up drives behind Western Art (heat 1), Blingiton (heat 2) and Prestine (heat 3).
Only one of the three heats - the final heat - has drawn a full field of 12, which means Robbie Close (heat 2), Ben Butcher (heat 2) and Dylan Ferguson (heat 1) will miss out on one drive each.
They will be given the default score of 7 points for that heat, as will Jack MacKinnon after Somebeach N Clovelly was scratched from the first heat.
Williamson, however, has more control over his maximum points.
''That's a help - it gives me every opportunity anyway,'' he said.
''I'm pretty happy with my drives. Obviously, when you go into these things, you don't expect to get the best drives. You just think you'll be happy enough just to be there, but this year I'd say this is the best chance I've had at being right up there at the top.''
Western Art is the horse who could make or break Williamson's championship aspirations. The son of Art Major produced an eye-catching run behind Astro Boy at Addington last week after drawing wide.
''It got well back and it looked like it hit the line very good,'' Williamson said.
''Its form is good - you only have to look at the week before at Rangiora when it won. It sat parked for the first bit and managed to still win.
''He's drawn well so it doesn't have much that's not in its favour, really.''
That handy spot of barrier 2 will leave Williamson with plenty of choices when the mobile vehicle pulls away at the 2600m mark.
''He seems like he's a pretty versatile horse to drive. Obviously in these junior champs races, they're a wee bit harder to anticipate what is going to happen but I'm sure he won't be far away.''
Williamson's drive in the second heat is the Nigel McGrath-trained Blingiton, who has not been seen in public since failing to round off his race at Ashburton on May 31.
''His runs haven't been bad - he's been in good fields and he hasn't had all the luck in the running.
''Any horse can pop up on these nights - it wouldn't surprise me if he was in the top four.''
Another factor working in Williamson's favour is the horsemen and women he will team up with tonight.
Western Art is trained by Greg and Nina Hope, McGrath prepares Blingiton, and Prestine - his drive in the last heat - is trained by one of the country's best conditioners of trotters, Tim Butt.
''I've been fortunate to grab three great trainers to be driving for.''
Prestine ran third behind Conon Bridge at the Rangiora trials on Monday to tighten up for tonight's assignment.
'' Most of its races have been at Addington so it's shown it's good enough to compete there,'' Williamson said.
''The trial was in a good time and it won't be far away.''
