THE field is well and truly into the home straight in the first stage of the 2014 Orange Picnic Races McDonald's Hot 100.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
And the whips are cracking as contestants strive to make Friday's top 20.
Over 11,000 votes have been cast in the competition's first four days, and already a few favourites have emerged from the pack.
Contestant number 3 Zara Crawford is guaranteed a place in Friday's second poll, having wrapped up 1747 votes - or 15.7 per cent of all votes cast - by Wednesday afternoon.
Entrant number 11 Alex Walker (1,451 votes, 13.1 per cent) and number 40 Chloe Porch (1178, 10.6 per cent), who currently complete the trifecta, also seem assured of a place in the final 20.
In fact, the top eight - all the way down to number 13 Travis Wright (444 votes, 4 per cent) - can probably sleep easy and keep dreaming of the $400 pre-paid credit card courtesy of McDonald's Orange.
For the rest of the field, every vote cast before the first poll closes at 12pm on Friday will count.
The top 20 will appear in a new gallery at centralwesterndaily.com.au at 5pm on Friday.
Importantly, there will also be a new poll, with all contenders starting afresh in the race for the top prize.
The top 20 poll closes at 12pm on Monday, with the winner revealed the following day.
But we're getting ahead of ourselves.
The only way to ensure your choice has a chance is by voting them into the top 20.
So head to centralwesterndaily.com.au, click on 'VOTE NOW: The 2014 Orange Picnic Races McDonald's Hot 100' and get voting.