The Orange Harness Racing Club is hosting its first meeting of 2018 on turf, with the heats for the 2018 Carnival of Cups beginning at 1.27pm with the Visit Orange City Pace.

It’s an eight race program that promises plenty.

Aside from the obvious difference of racing on turf and in a clockwise direction, rather than the traditional anti-clockwise fashion most harness racing tracks in NSW are run, some of the industry’s elite drivers like Amanda Turnbull, Bernie Hewitt, Nathan Hurst and Mat Rue are on deck for Sunday’s heats.

Given there’s just two harness racing meets in Orange a year – the second in 2018 is on February 4 – that’s not a bad level of pacing.

But a lot of attention – well, all of the attention of those wondering what the Night King and his zombie dragon’s next move is, if Aegon Targaryen will claim the Iron Throne, or whether Tormund is even still alive, take a breath - will be on race seven, the Orange Vet Hospital Heat 2.

Peak Hill veteran trainer-driver John Beeby will guide a five-year-old called Tyrion around the 1609 metre class one pace.

By Beeby’s own admission, Tyrion, named after hugely popular GoT charactor Tyrion Lannister, and the rest of his chances headed to Towac Park on Sunday are in terrible form.

But if Game of Thrones has taught the greater public anything, it’s you can never discount a Lannister. That, and they always pay their debts.

“Apparently the name’s out of that show, Game of Thrones … I didn’t name him, he was called Tyrion before I bought him,” Beeby said from his Peak Hill base next to the town’s trotting track.

“A lot of my horses are completely out form. But we’re on turf, and that’s different, and running right-to-left in some cases is easier. Most pacers can handle that.

“All I can do is go out there and wish for the best.”

A number of Dubbo hopes will also be in action at the Orange track.

Barry Lew will have Karloo Threeothree and Karloo Jonno in action while Tom Pay will drive Rapid Di and Im Super Sophie for his father, Mick, and Curls Toby for his grandfather, Greg.

Greg Pay will also take Kimsarme Direct, first-up from a year-long spell, to Towac.

Ian Edmunds will have two in action, Themidnightrambler and The Rebel King while Brad Peisley will make the trip with Of A New Era and Jogalong Dee.

Harness racing action will start at 1.27pm on Sunday at Orange’s Towac Park with the final race starts at 5.34pm.