Gentleman Max snuck into the field for Friday's $100,000 Snake Gully Cup (1400m) and has the added boost of the inside gate.

Sutherland won his first Snake Gully Cup last year with My Maher but boasts a strong record in the race in recent times.

Gentleman Max ran second, beaten a head, in 2017 and also ran seventh in the 2016 edition when only beaten two lengths by Greipel.

Sutherland hopes it can be a case of third time lucky for Gentleman Max.

"He won't let anyone down," Sutherland said.

"He'll run well. He always runs well at Gundagai, this would have to be his favourite track I reckon.

"He's run well in the race a few times now and is drawn one so I expect him to run well again."

Bryan Murphy will take the ride on Gentleman Max for the 13th time in his 108-start career. It will be his first time back on the seven-year-old at the races since June 2017.

Gentleman Max will be on the back up after running 10^th in the $125,000 Country Classic (2000m) at Rosehill last Saturday.

"He was unlucky the other day. He couldn't get a run," Sutherland said.

Sutherland hopes to feature in the finish of the race for a third consecutive year.

"It's a nice race. It fell away a little bit after the noms but it's still a nice race," he said.

"It will be very interesting but I expect Max to run well."

Defending champion My Maher was not nominated for the race after failing to beat a runner home at Rosehill on Saturday.

Sutherland sent the mare to the paddock on Wednesday and said she had jarred up on some of the firm tracks of late.

The Danny Williams-trained Don't Give A Damn will carry the top weight in the Snake Gully Cup, which has attracted a full field of 12 plus four emergencies.

Gentleman Max is one of three Southern District Racing Association (SDRA) representatives in the field of 12, along with Mitch Beer's Perfect Illusion and Wayne Carroll's Lady Mironton.

READ MORE