Cup Day winner Kerryn Tomlinson takes four drives to Winton, with her own mare Way Coola in Sunday's Gold Chip Final

This story draws on reporting by The Southland Tribune.

Kerryn Tomlinson does just about everything for her trotter Way Coola. She bred the mare, owns her, trains her and drives her. So when Way Coola made a mistake at Winton last time out, Tomlinson knew exactly who was responsible.

"It was a bit of a shame, but it was my fault," she said in a preview by Southland racing journalist Jonny Turner, published by the Southland Tribune and Harness Racing New Zealand on Saturday.

The pair get another chance at the same track on Sunday, when Way Coola lines up in the Gold Chip Final, listed by HRNZ for 4.09pm. Last start the mare broke on the home turn when she appeared to be travelling comfortably. "She was cruising at the time and I just asked her and she got a bit of a fright," Tomlinson said. "She's usually pretty reliable and hopefully she can do things right this week."

She arrives at Winton in form. On Tuesday, on the sport's biggest stage, she drove To The Moon And Back to a win on Cup Day at Addington.

Way Coola starts off a 30-metre handicap on Sunday, but Tomlinson pointed out that almost every runner with a genuine winning chance shares the same mark. "There are a couple of nice ones in there but it probably isn't any harder than last start," she said. "She has come through that run pretty well and if she can bring her manners she should be a nice chance."

Tomlinson has four drives on the card. A second runner from her own stable, the pacer Dare Devil, finished fifth when he ran on at Oamaru last time. She describes him as the stable's galloping pacemaker for Way Coola, a horse who has to rely on how the race unfolds. "He is a bread and butter horse and you are relying on where he ends up because he can't do any work in his races," she said. He follows out Van Liberty on Sunday, and she reckoned he could feature if he stays handy.

She also has the drive on Gasherbrum, trained by Neil Edge and Ngaire Buchan. The horse ran eighth on Cup Day, and Tomlinson said it had not been an easy run because he did some work early. "If he can back up from Tuesday he should be a good eachway chance," she said, adding that Sunday's race was a step back in class and that he had been in great form beforehand.

Her fourth drive is Double Time, trained by Peter and Mitchell Robertson. Tomlinson was frank about his latest effort. "He was a bit disappointing in his last start at Oamaru so he is going to have to be on his game," she said.

For Way Coola, the brief is simple: keep her feet on the home turn. If she does, her driver, trainer, owner and breeder all agree she is a chance.