Ona Merry Dance breaks through for Gilligan, McPherson while David Moran drives double before Inter Dominion

Moran steered $1.09 favourite Beach Memories to victory for Kasey Kent (NR48, 2270m) then closed the meeting with a win behind Do Not Surrender ($5.50, trained by Isabel Walsh) in an NR58 over 1740m.

They were the quickest mile rates of the day at Wagga (1.56.2 and 1.55.1 respectively).

At Menangle in Saturday's $500,000 time-honoured showpiece, he'll drive the favourite Expensive Ego for Belinda McCarthy, which has previously clocked 1.48.6.

Earlier in the Wagga program, Lavington trainer Chris McPherson was praising Thomas Gilligan's first time teaming up with Ona Merry Dance ($8) declaring her "well driven" as she upstaged some fancied two-year-olds to win the Conquest Pools Maiden Pace (2270m).

"He's easily pleased," Gilligan laughed.

"She was well-placed. But the race was run to suit and the bloke in the breeze was putting the pressure on. You take the luck when you get it."

It was the four-year-old mare's first win in nine career starts after two minor placings in her past three starts.

After Gracenava ($81, Matthew McCaffery) kept challenging leader Shes My Little Gem, Gilligan peeled out from one-out, three-back on the home turn and Ona Merry Dance powered home before the favourite Esther Rising could get wound up from the sprint lane.

"I've just given her time. She had 12 months in the paddock after her three-year-old season and she's come back in this time and she's paying for herself," McPherson said of his half-sister to Rocky Creed.

"The mare (Miss Toolern Vale) has got a 100 per cent strike rate now. They're all winners out of her."

Amanda Dean made no mistake with her $2.15 favourite Betterthantheboyz in the Harness Trading Ring Australia Pace (1740m) for Ganmain's Jason Turner with an all the way win, holding on from Ray White's fast-finishing Run Viv Run ($31).

Meanwhile, Moran's $1.09 winner wasn't the shortest priced favourite to salute on Friday.

Blake Jones drove Brooklyn Bridge (trained by Ellen Bartley) to a runaway 27-metre win in the opening Steel Supplies Maiden Pace (2270m) as a $1.04 pick in the gelding's second start.

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