After scoring a 400th career win at his home track during the week trainer-driver Greg Rue's journey towards 500 could start at Dubbo Paceway on Sunday.
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Rue reached the driving milestone at Bathurst on Wednesday night when Williewa Lightning scored a stunning and dominant victory in the Lexus of Dubbo Pace (1730m).
On Sunday he'll be at Dubbo with just the one hope, Whiskiesonthebeach.
The six-year-old heads into the Club Dubbo Pace (2120m) having been in some career best form of late.
Whiskiesonthebeach has scored six wins from 106 career starts but two of those wins have been recorded in the past nine starts, along with four placings.
He'll go from gate three on Sunday afternoon in the sixth of eight races on the card.
And while he's an outside chance of victory it's unlikely he'll produce the kind of performance Williewa Lightning did on Wednesday.
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Williewa Lightning was asked to start the charge home a long way from the winning post there but no-one had an answer for the Armbro Operative gelding when Rue went for it.
In the end the $13 chance won by nearly 20m.
"It's nice to bring that up. I had no idea about it," Rue said of the 400-win moment.
"I only found out after the race when my nephew Matty told me about it."
The slight drop in grade and a preferred racing pattern were exactly what Williewa Lightning needed to break his 11-race run of zero placings.
But few could have predicted the fashion in which he'd do it, winning comfortably from Lavros Midas Touch ($6) and Rusty McCool ($5.50).
"His form wasn't that good. He paces really rough and hangs occasionally but he worked really well on Monday so I knew where I had him," Rue said of the win.
"The leader was gone so I thought I'd press on and try to take them off the bit.
"Williewa Lightning always finishes off his races really well, he just sometimes can't get around the last turn. I kept working and working on that and he finally got it right."
At Dubbo on Sunday, Rue will take on hometown hopes Lovin Everyday, Remember Bubbles and Karloo Bradley.
The Michael Carroll-trained Lovin Everyday and Barry Lew's Karloo Bradley were among the early favourites in the market.
The former will start from gate one while Mat Rue will be in the gig of the latter when it goes from gate eight.
Jack Pay will drive Remember Bubbles for Brett Pay from gate six.
A number of hometown trainers and drivers will feature at the meeting, which starts from 12.10pm.
