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Jarrod Austin wants to feel a sense of deja vu as he attempts to propel in-form galloper Spats Pav Bowie onto the big stage via Thursday's Polytrack Provincial-Midway Qualifier (1400m) at Kembla Grange.

The Kembla qualifier is the first of seven $150,000 heats for this year's main event at Royal Randwick on April 8 and has drawn a high quality capacity field of 16 runners and three emergencies.

Austin is returning to a happy hunting ground as his Championships contender looks to make it a hat-trick of wins to seal his berth into the $500,000 final.

Trainer Jarrod Austin (Pic: Bradley Photos).

Spats Pav Bowie was a winner at Queanbeyan two back before coming to Kembla and saluting at this track and trip last start on February 7.

Austin hopes to use Spats Pav Bowie's last start success over at the venue as a launching pad into the lucrative qualifier.

"We had it in the back of our mind to go back to Kembla," Austin said.

"We tried to get him into the race last year but he wasn't quite ready. It was always in the back of our mind so it is nice when a plan comes off.

"He had to perform last start but we had this race earmarked for him."

Spats Pav Bowie has been $10 out to $15 since TAB betting opened for the first heat on Tuesday morning however Austin's confidence in his campaigner grew after the barrier draw.

A perfect draw in barrier three will give Spats Pav Bowie every chance to take up the same leading role that has delivered him wins at his past two starts.

"It should give him every chance to repeat the dose," Austin said.

"We were really pleased to get a gate against a strong field like that and probably needed a good draw to make things a bit more inviting for him.

"From there, the way he has been racing, he is not going to have to do much work to get to the front.

"If they want to tear across in front of him from the wide gate, he should be able to get a good spot but he should be able to lead them up."

Austin added Spats Pav Bowie has come through his last run as good as ever heading into the heat.

"The horse is going really well," he said.

"After his last run, that is the best he has come through a run in his whole career.

"Sometimes he can be a little soft but he bounced through that win at Kembla."

Reigning Provincial Championship winning trainer Kris Lees is poised to take a heavy-handed approach to his defence of the crown with three runners to line up in the opening heat.

Spangler is the $4.20 favourite while Lees also has Mobstar ($8) and Terrameades ($19) with his contenders jumping from barriers 16, 1 and 10 respectively.

Local trainer Theresa Bateup will give young apprentice Molly Bourke one of the biggest opportunities of her young career when she pilots Crackalacka ($34) with Robert and Luke Price set to saddle up All Machiavellian ($34).

Three Kembla-trained horses have landed among the emergencies with Benjamin Smith's Herb, the Prices' Slickman and the Joseph Ible-trained The Carpet Bagger all sweating on a run.

The Provincial-Midway Championships qualifier returns to Kembla after wet weather forced the race to be held at Goulburn last year with this year's edition set to be run and won at 4.50pm.

All the fields, form and replays for Thursday's Kembla Grange meeting