A section of the track is uneven, which makes getting a good start from barriers seven and eight a difficult task.

One of his two chances tonight, the Jeff Brown trained Smart Major, has drawn barrier eight. The five-year-old does have gate speed, but Morris is unsure if he should utilise that in the Fish and Sons Pace (1,730 metres). 

“The track has improved a hell of a lot since it opened. The only bit I really don’t like is the area when you go from barrier seven or barrier eight. There is a change in camber ... it’s a bit like you’ve dropped off a cliff,” Morris said.

“The drop off is quite long actually – even the lip of it when you are behind the mobile. If you are in, say, barrier seven, one wheel of the gig is on the edge of the cliff so it feels a bit unbalanced. It feels like you could tip. You can even see at the back of the mobile they’ve got an extra barrier to make sure a horse won’t go under it.

“I am a bit unsure what to do with Smart Major. I don’t think I’ve seen anyone punch forward from barrier seven or eight. I don’t quite know how to go having to run up the cliff.

“But don’t get me wrong, other than that I don’t mind the track, but it does take getting used to. It will get better the more they use it.”

Based at Menangle with his father and wife Stephanie, Morris trains a small team which currently numbers seven horses.

He spends most of his time driving for other trainers and that is what will bring him to the Bathurst Paceway tonight.

“I am a freelance driver and I get a fair bit of driving from the Bathurst region. I’ve driven for Steve Conroy, Ashlee Siejka has put me on a few in the past, Dave Reynolds, Mark Butler, I’ve driven for Steve Turnbull a couple of times, basically wherever I am needed,” he said.

Morris is already among the major winners at the new Bathurst Paceway, 

having steered Riverina pacer Louboutin to victory in the Star Trek Series final earlier this month.

Given he nudged out his cousin Robert Morris on favourite Karloo Ten Seventy, it was a moment he enjoyed.

“That was alright wasn’t it? Robbie was going for four wins for the day too, but it’s always been a good horse that Louboutin. I was still surprised at how quick she picked him up though,” he said.

Getting a win tonight may be a more tricky prospect for Morris, with Smart Major to be tested by his draw and his other chance, the Stephen Conroy, Hartley trained Our Southern Belle, also needing luck from barrier nine. She will contest the Group 1 Feeds Pace (1,730m).

“Our Southern Belle is very consistent, but the draw has got to go her way,” Morris said of the six-year-old Life Sign filly who has nine wins and 16 placings from 72 starts.

“She has got to get a decent draw. If you draw terrible, she struggles. But she always tries hard, she just hasn’t had a lot of luck.”

Morris plans to follow out the Wendy Turnbull trained Pinegrove, who has drawn barrier one, but he said he will need to talk to Brown before deciding what tactics to use with Smart Major.

If he gets it right, the Forbes trained son of Art Major is a realistic winning chance.

“It’s a nice horse, it’s still a stallion actually. I think Jeff bought him about two years ago from New Zealand. I think he paid a bit of money for him, but he went through his grades real fast racing around the bush,” Morris said.

“He then brought him up to Menangle and we took over him for a bit. He had five starts for us and the worst he ran was fourth. He’s a very nice horse.”

The first race of tonight’s meeting is set to go at 6.05pm.