It's been quite the journey for Gemma Hewitt's Kash Us Back, who gets the dream inside draw for this Wednesday night's TAB Regional Championships Western Heat (2,260 metres).

Kash Us Back came close to succumbing to illness before his racing career even began but he's since beaten the odds to claim 13 wins and $75,000 in prizemoney.

He now takes on his biggest endeavour yet as he eyes off what would be a dream Group 1 one start for his very proud trainer.

"When he got sick as a yearling I was told that he'd probably never race again and that if he did survive there would be a 20 per cent chance of him racing," Hewitt said.

"What he's done has been amazing. He's won 13 races and everything this horse does is a bonus."

Kash Us Back returned from a brief two month spell in April and has made four starts in that time - the best result being a third place at home.

Hewitt's father Bernie has last start winner Angel Shark starting directly to her outside while Steve Turnbull's Smooth Cash may look to press forward out of gate four.

Imthevillagestar will be one to watch widest on the front row after he ran a strong, front-running third during last week's heats.

Kash Us Back is perfectly graded for the series and enters Wednesday's heat at the maximum allowed rating of 70.

"It had got away from me that he'd come back so far in grade, to be honest," Hewitt said.

"It's worked out really well. I'd had Keayang Kreuzer set for this race over the last six months so it came as a shock when this guy fitted into the criteria.

"He's come up with gate one this week and a horse his age doesn't get the opportunity to go in Group 1 heats anymore so it's really good.

"At lot of the Group racing is in their two and three-year-old seasons and then after that it's Grand Circuit, which very few of them get to."

Keayang Kreuzer has already booked a spot in the upcoming Group 1 final for Hewitt after winning the first of last Wednesday's heats.

Keayang Kreuzer led the whole way in last week's heat success as a $1.45 favourite.

He got away strongly from gate three and got the race on his own terms with a pair of 31.1 quarters to start.

The Somebeachsomewhere gelding didn't blow challengers Bettor Jiggle ($6.50) and Castalong Shadow ($5.50) off the park but didn't look troubled as he won by 3.5m in a winning mile rate of two minutes flat.

All of last week's heat runner-up finishers - Chasing The Wind, Gabbys Sportstar and Bettor Jiggle - are back for another attempt this week.

Rock Fisherman (Bernie Hewitt) and Yes You May (Josh Turnbull) are the other two heat winners who have already booked their place in the $100,000 finale.

Wednesday night's Bathurst Paceway meeting starts from 5.47pm with the first of the TAB Regional Championships Western Heats to directly follow the opening race at 6.12pm.

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