VISITING apprentices Claire Gee and Jess Taylor shared the spoils in the NSW Rising Stars Series after a rare dead heat at Murrumbidgee Turf Club on Thursday.

Gee and Taylor were forced to share the heat of the NSW Rising Star Series for apprentice jockeys after the judge could not split Gunner ($3.50) and Roman Desire ($3.50) in the Wagga Scrap Metals Benchmark 65 Handicap (1400m).

Roman Desire had clinched a handy break but Gunner jumped out of the ground over the final 100 metres to share the prize.

It was the first dead head at Wagga in more than three years.

Wagga trainer Brad Witt was proud of 10-year-old Gunner but admitted he thought he got beat.

"I thought the horse of Bruce's had got us," Witt said.

"I'm happy to share it with one of the good blokes of the game."

Bruce Cross travelled all the way from Warwick Farm for the race.

He thought Roman Cross, with Jess Taylor in the saddle, had got there.

"I did, but I'm happy to take anything," Cross said.

"It's a hard game and there's enough to go around for the both of us."

Roman Cross made it back-to-back wins after scoring at Bathurst last start.

He took his record to four wins from just 15 starts.

It was Gunner's 11th career victory as he heads towards a crack at the Ted Ryder Cup next month.

Lockmar ($7.00) was a further 1¾ lengths back in third.

It was the start of a good day for Witt after he claimed the Sportsmen's Hotel Benchmark 60 Handicap (1000m) with Flaming Aces ($6.00) later on.

Flaming Aces, with Jason Collins in the saddle, used her speed to find the front and was never troubled from there as she scored a strong 1¾ length win.