Darren Hyde's Driving Force will run at Coonamble's Country Championships qualifier on Sunday

Driving Force will represent Hyde on Sunday at Coonamble in the Western area Country Championships for a shot at the final at Royal Randwick on the line.

Sunday's $150,000 main race will feature 13 horses from Dubbo and Driving Force is as good as any Hyde believes.

"He's had a pretty good preparation," he said.

"Everything is right, he had his final gallop on Wednesday morning and his work was good.

"Basically I've done everything I can for him, it's up to him now."

Back in 2019, Westlink took out the qualifier for Hyde, giving him a chance to head to Randwick and witness some of the best country horses going around.

After a few tough years, Hyde now has another contender but still remembers what it was like to win the big race.

"It's the pinnacle of probably bush racing to win it," he said.

"Then, of course, it gets you to Randwick for half a million dollars. We were lucky with Westlink in the year that he won it.

"We got to go to Sydney and compete against that class of horses and be competitive.

"I think it was a Heavy 10 that day which didn't help him but just to make it there was great, whatever happens after that is a blessing."

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Driving Force has been fortunate enough to draw barrier four, a spot where his trainer is confident the gelding can ask some questions.

"He's good a good draw," he said.

"I think a few of the more fancied runners are a bit wider, hopefully, if we can be midfield in the run then he should be getting home."

Unlike previous years, the likes of Hugh Bowman and James McDonald won't travel to Coonamble to ride in the big race due to Canberra's meeting also on Sunday.

Hyde admitted finding a jockey was actually quite tough.

"We had a couple of problems with jockeys," he said.

"We had Nick Haywood booked but then he got suspended, of course, Aaron Bullock and Grant Buckley are tied up with Clint Lundholm.

"Ash Morgan is as well, they were on song. I spoke to Jay Ford in Sydney and the problem we have is that the Black Opal is on Sunday."

With the best available jockeys already locked up, apprentice Braith Nock was given the green light to saddle up for Hyde.

While he hasn't met Nock yet, Hyde said he has heard good things about the jockey.

"A bloke that owns a half share in the horse used to shear along with Brett Cavanough," he said.

"When we couldn't get anyone we got him on the phone and he said 'come and get him'.

"That's how we ended up with him. Brett is a pretty good judge of jockeys so if he didn't think he could get the job done, then he wouldn't put him on."

Sunday's race will jump at 4:45pm.

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