Blake Shinn produced a calculated ride to get $2.60 favourite Invincible Knight home in the Audi Centre Wagga MTC Guineas – 3YO Benchmark 68 Handicap (1600m).

It gave both Shinn and group-one winning Sydney trainer John Thompson their first Wagga Guineas in front of a big Cup day crowd.

It did not come without a fright as the Paul Murray-trained Direct Strategy ($6.00) loomed up inside the final 200 and almost headed the favourite.

Invincible Knight responded resolutely and kicked strongly to score by a length.

Direct Strategy grabbed second with Goulburn three-year-old Oh So Unfair ($10.00) a further 2½ lengths back in third place.

Thompson was not on course at Wagga but watched on from Sydney and liked what he saw.

“It was a good progressive win for the horse,” Thompson said.

“He’s a horse going somewhere and it’s nice to get a win like that for the owners.

“There might be a Queensland run there for him, possibly the Guineas.”

Shinn had full faith in his mount.

“I think he was just idling for a bit,” Shinn said.

“The Murray stable is going so well at the carnival so when it got to me at the 200 I was a little bit concerned but he responded well.

“He’s a terrific horse to bring to the Wagga carnival and I think this race is a nice little stepping stone to the future.

“He’s only lightly raced and he’s only been with John Thompson for four runs for two wins now.”

Invincible Knight started his racing career with Peter Moody in Melbourne but was transferred to Thompson when he quit training last month.

He ran fourth in the $150,000 Bendigo Guineas (1400m) at his last start down south.

Invincible Knight came to Wagga as a last-start Kembla Grange winner and will now take back-to-back victories into bigger races.

Shinn loves the Wagga carnival and was rapt to tick the Guineas off.

“I rode a winner (on Thursday) but it’s good to get one on the main day of the carnival, especially one of the features,” Shinn said.

“It’s my first Wagga Guineas, which is good and he’s a nice horse to win it on.”

The Dave Heywood-trained Dyrham Park ($21.00) was the first Southern District three-year-old over the line in sixth place.

Corowa three-year-old Challenge Accepted ($6.00) only beat two horses home and trainer Geoff Duryea said the son of Sebring will head for a spell.

“He will go the paddock, for two of three months.”