The Waterhouse-Bott camp won the Wagga Gold Cup in 2017 with Stampede and have been big supporters of the carnival over a long period of time.

Not only have they targeted the Cup, but the powerful stable also have the favourite in the $80,000 MTC Guineas (1600m) and the $75,000 Queen Of The South (1400m).

Knights Order, a lightly-raced import, will represent the stable in the Gold Cup and will kick off his second Australian preparation in the feature.

"I think he's got a good chance," assistant racing manager Will Hudson said.

"He's been working really well leading into the race. He's obviously first up just off one trial but he did have a course proper jump out last week and he's come through that in really good order.

"He's a lot more forward at this stage in his prep than he was before he raced first-up for us last time, which was his first race in Australia. He's really got the hang of life here since then and he's a bit more switched on this time, that's why we aren't worried about being first-up over 2000.

"Obviously he's up against very hard, race-fit horses but he's perhaps got that freshness in their legs that they don't and we're expecting a very competitive run."

Son of a gun, Campbell Rawiller, has been given the ride on Knights Order. The 20-year-old joined the Waterhouse-Bott team in March and will experience his first Wagga Gold Cup.

"Campbell came up from Melbourne to be our apprentice. Gai and Adrian have definitely put their faith in him, giving him this ride, he deserves it and we'll see how he goes," Hudson said.

MORE SPORT NEWS

The stable believe their best chance for the day is Maranoa in the Guineas. He's only had the two starts for a Nowra maiden win and then a close second at Kembla Grange.

"I think he's got a great chance," Hudsons aid.

"He won really impressively on debut at Nowra. It was the sort of race that he wouldn't have learnt a lot. We saw when he then came second at Kembla that he went to win the race and the jockey said after he didn't really know how to battle, he didn't really know what to do. The penny dropped as he hit the line and he was coming back with every stride. Joan (Van Overmeire) just said he just had no idea what to do really and he'll improve again for that experience.

"The step up in trip will help, this will be his third run, Joan's obviously ridden him every race, he knows him well and we expect him to be winning, or fighting out the finish."

Splendiferous is also a short-priced favourite in the Queen of the South. She has won her last two but has 61 kilograms with Nash Rawiller in the saddle.

"Again, she's done everything right this time. She broke her maiden really well and then followed that up at Newcastle again and took the step up in trip in her stride," Hudson said.

"She's always been a filly we've liked and whose had ability, she's just taken time to mature and strengthen and come into her own. She can't do anything more than she's done already, she'd had to have a huge chance so we're happy with her.

"It's a big weight but she's got Nash on board. You couldn't have a better jockey, really."

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: