Wagga Gold Cup 2024: Rolling coverage of all the action on the track

Canberra trainer Keith Dryden had Best Intent ($3.30) primed for her return to the track, finishing strongly to take out the Class Three Showcase Handicap (1000m).

Best Intent just held out $31 chance Stupendo, with Wagga roughie Jukebox Flyer ($18) snaring third place.

Best Intent, who had two wins and five minor placings to her name heading into Friday,

"She's done a great job," Dryden said.

"I thought she'd lead or be running second, it surprised me she was that far back. I was confident she would run well but I was surprised by the ride."

Schiller was taken by the win of Best Intent.

"It's great to get a winner for Keith, he's a great old trainer," Schiller said.

"He never misses. He said she might be a jump out short but I felt she was only getting warmed up at the 50.

"I think she's got a bit more in store, she's a tough thing and it's great to get another winner for the carnival."

GAI Waterhouse and Adrian Bott made their presence felt on the Wagga Gold Cup carnival as Invincible Spy captured the MTC Guineas.

Rachel King took Invincible Spy ($6.00) straight to the front and it was a typical Waterhouse win from there as the three-year-old kept on running for a half length win.

Wagga jockey Danny Beasley guided Cable Express ($10) into second, with It's A Wonder ($2.90) making up a stack of ground to run third.

Waterhouse-Bott representative Neil Paine said the stable expected a performance like that.

"He needed the run over 1200, which was far too short, last start and then Gai and Adrian picked this race out, they like bringing a horse down for these races," Paine said.

"The mile suited him down to the ground and one of ours, straight to the front and the track's racing leader-ish today so it suited us perfect."

King was pleased to take out the two supporting features on Gold Cup day in a race-to-race double.

"It's good to get a couple," King said.

"I always enjoy riding for Gai and Adrian, you know what you're going to get with their horses, they're ever consistent and that's a prime example of one of theirs, just the toughness that horse showed."

GROUP-one winning Sydney jockey Rachel King chimed in with her first win of the Wagga Gold Cup carnival with victory in the Queen of the South.

King combined with Victorian trainers Leon and Troy Corstens to take out the $75,000 Queen of the South Benchmark 66 Showcase Handicap (1400m) with Subliminal ($5.00).

King got everything out of Subliminal as she held off the fast-finishing Justela ($5.50) narrowly, with a gap to Albury mare Overrun ($10) back in third.

King was impressed by the win.

"She had to be tough," King said.

"She had a big weight, 61 kilos on her back but she pinged the gates and was able to put herself in a good spot and had to dig deep late."

King, a Wagga Gold Cup winner of the past, was happy to get on the board at the carnival.

"I probably didn't see a lot of daylight on a few of mine of yesterday so going forward in terms was a lot easier," she said.

"It's always nice to come down and even better to get a winner."

IT WAS victory for Gundagai as Love Shuck returned to his best to capture a Wagga Gold Cup day win.

Twelve months ago Love Shuck ($3.10) highlighted his ability with victory in the $200,000 Inglis 2YO Challenge and he was back near his best to score a Wagga carnival victory on Friday.

Jockey Billy Owen took Love Shuck to the front and rated the three-year-old to perfection to score a runaway win in the $50,000 Country Magic Benchmark 74 Handicap (1200m).

Owen has put plenty of work into the horse for trainer Todd Smart and was stoked to guide the horse to a Wagga Gold Cup day victory for the Gundagai connections.

"Hugely satisfying," Owen said.

"Not just with Todd and the owners but the horse. He's not the easiest horse to have around the stables and they've done a good job with him and just to get the result, it's pretty special."

Owen said the Wagga win was just a glimpse into the horse's ability.

"Look what you just seen there, he pretty much done what he had to do. There's plenty more left in the bonnet."

Owen and Smart both hail from Gundagai but are Canberra based these days.

Smart thought the addition of blinkers for the first time proved pivotal in Friday's win.

"He's a horse we've been waiting to put the blinkers on and we thought today was the day," Smart said.

"Billy's done a fair bit of work on this horse and so has all the staff so we're very happy."

Love Shuck held off the fast-finishing King Gutho ($5.50) by a length, with Extravagent Lad ($8.50) another length back in third.

Wagga galloper Underpants was a late scratching at the barriers.

TUMUT trainer Kerry Weir went from mid-race frustration to post-race jubilation as Finn's The Icon highlighted his ability with a Wagga Gold Cup day win.

Finn's The Icon ($12) backed up his maiden victory with an all-the-way win in the Class One Showcase Handicap (1200m).

Not long after Weir had issued a change of tactics to stewards to see his horse ridden back in the field, jockey Nick Heywood made a split second decision to push on and lead the field on Finn's The Icon.

While it was a decision that may have disappointed Weir mid-race, he was over the moon to see his talented three-year-old kick strongly and hold out Bjorn Baker's Joey D'or ($2.50) and Scott Spackman's Dolly ($3.70).

Weir was delighted with the win.

"It's unbelievable mate, unbelievable," Weir said.

"He is a good horse, especially when you get 15-1!"

Making the win even more special is the fact it is the first horse purchased and raced by Weir's son Sam.

"It's bloody unreal," Sam said.

"Especially being back-to-back wins and being the first horse I've owned.

"It's a bloody unreal feeling."

Heywood explained his race-winning decision to push forward and lead.

"No one wanted to take it up so I was quite happy to go forward," Heywood said.

"I know Kerry didn't want me to lead but sometimes you've got to leave it up to the jockeys."

Heywood believes Finn's The Icon, with two wins and four placings from eight starts, has a bright future.

"He's progressive, he's come a long way because he was a bit of a rat there for a bit," he said.

"He's doing everything right now so he'll probably go to the paddock for a spell and come back again."

After two second placings on Town Plate and a winner on Gold Cup day, Heywood moved within one point of the lead in the Tye Angland Medal.

"It can always be better," Heywood said of his carnival.

LOUISE Day has hit the front in the race for the prestigious Tye Angland Medal.

Day guided Wodonga galloper Teetotal ($6.00) to an all-the-way victory in the $30,000 Benchmark 58 Handicap (1300m).

After only sitting one point behind overnight leader Jason Lyon, Day surged to the front with the win in race two on Wagga Gold Cup day.

"I didn't know there was a medal to be honest," Day said.

"But great to be in contention and just really happy with the support I get down here because sometimes it's hard to get good rides when there's a lot of city jockeys coming but I've had some loyal support."

Teetotal held out the Tim Donnelly-trained Letme Entertainyou ($7.50), with a good gap back to Steve's Way ($21) in third.

Wodonga trainer David O'Prey was not surprised by Teetotal's performance.

"Not at all. He's just been a bit of an enigma," O'Prey said.

"They've been taking him on in his races so we took the visors and winkers off, so to speak, and put the nose roll on so he probably relaxed a bit more in front today.

"He can run sustained speed and Louise rode him here three starts ago behind Asgarda and she just rode him too pretty and got beat two lengths held up behind them. You've just got to let him run.

"He's got a lot of ability, he's just been a bit of an enigma when they take him on.

"He's been up for a while so he's done a good job. He's got a lot of ability and Louise is a gun."

FORMER jockey Lauri Parker (nee Wray) made a triumphant return to Wagga on Gold Cup day.

Parker spent part of her jockey apprenticeship based in Wagga and was thrilled to be able to return as a trainer and strike Gold Cup day success.

Her filly, Ludovica ($5.00), appreciated the drop back to country grade to take out the $50,000 Super Maiden Plate (1200m) at her sixth race start.

Ludovica edged out the Rodger Waters-trained Mo Cent ($11), with Albury galloper Bridget Rose ($51) third.

Parker was pleased to see Ludovica break through.

"I've got a lot of faith in this filly, she just wasn't getting it together race day yet," Parker said.

"When she was a bit disappointing last start at Newcastle, I put the winkers on her and they've obviously done the trick to help her focus.

"Now she's worked it out, hopefully she can go on with it."

Jay Ford gave Ludovica every chance.

Parker was rapt to enjoy a winner on Wagga Gold Cup day.

"I love Wagga," Parker said.

"I was actually apprenticed here for a little bit when I was riding.

"It's just a lovely big roomy track, every horse gets its chance. Everyone was like 'you drew terrible' but I said we'll be right, it's Wagga, it will be fine.

"She just needs this big roomy track and Jay just gets the best out of this filly also so it was great to get him on board."

Paul Murray's debutant Divine Ella was the hard luck story, copping mid-race interference before coming again for an eye-catching fourth.