Star jockey Tommy Berry is also confirmed to ride in Murrumbidgee Turf Club's showcase two-day carnival on Thursday and Friday next week, along with Robbie Dolan, while Tim Clark and Josh Parr will saddle up for Cup Day only on Friday.

Waller has nominated four runners for the $200,000 Wagga Gold Cup (2000m), including Irish Sequel.

The Irish stayer is coming off a first-up win at Randwick on October 3 when he ran down stablemate Aleas (who has also nominated for the Cup, in the dying stages over 1800m.

Anthony and Sam Freedman's Ain'tnodeeldun is expected to be another major contender along with Joseph Pride hope Brutality, who finished midfield in the Group 1 Doncaster Handicap at Randwick early this month, before finishing fifth on another heavy track in the Group 3 JRA Plate on April 16.

Kembla Grange trainer Gwenda Markwell will shoot for a third straight win with Main Stage, while Taikomochi will fly the flag for the Waterhouse-Bott stable.

Dolphina (Tim Donnelly) is the only local hope to nominate for the Cup.

Thursday's $200,000 Wagga Town Plate (1200m) has also attracted big names, with Keith Dryden's Handle The Truth looking to go one better than his second to the dominant Marway last year.

OTHER NEWS

Mark Newnham will shoot for his second straight Town Plate victory with Lord Olympus, while Anthony and Sam Freedman's King of Hastings is another contender.

Country Championships victor Another One will lead the local hopes for Gary Colvin, along with stablemates Forever Newyork, and Kurocaine, while Chris Heywood (Blitzar) and Donnelly (Kitzbuhel) have also nominated.

O'Shea's Strombus and This'llbetheone have been nominated for Friday's $80,000 MTC Guineas (1600m), where Waterhouse and Bott's Publicist will be one of the big hopes.

The announcement less than two weeks ago the Wagga Gold Cup would be an official qualifying race for Racing NSW's feature, the Big Dance, has only added to the appeal for leading trainers to nominate.

The $2 million race over 1600m will be held annually on Melbourne Cup day at Randwick, with the field to be drawn from winners and runner-ups of country cups across the state.

The timing of the qualification announcement three weeks before our cup was no doubt advantageous for us," MTC chief executive Jason Ferrario said.

"With $2 million to race for on the first Tuesday of November, it's an extra carrot for trainers for sure.

"Numbers wise the nominations are great, and there's a lot of quality among them with a lot of visiting city trainers. We're very happy with it.

"In the Cup one that stands out is Brutality, and an eye catcher last run was Annabel Neesham's Numerian (second in the JRA Plate).

"And of course there's a strong representation from Chris Waller with four runners.

"We're expecting a big crowd, the weather forecast is looking OK, and we are encouraging people to pre- purchase their general admission tickets. They are cheaper and it speeds up the check-in process on arrival."

Meanwhile, the Leeton Jockey Club will hold a six race non-TAB meeting on Saturday, with the first race at 1.10pm.

NOMINATIONS

Wagga Gold Cup: Ain't NoDeeldun, Aleas, Bedford, Brutality, Cognac, Dolphina, Dream Runner, Esti Feny, Five Kingdom, Gunga Din, Irish Sequel, Main Stage, Marroni, Maurice's Medad, Numerian, Our Intrigue, Pancho, Pappalino, Reggiewood, Roman, Secret Blaze, Sepulchre, Spirit Ridge, Sweet Thomas, Taikomochi, This Skilled Cat, Warning.

Wagga Town Plate: Another One, Ashlor, Bedtime Stories, Blitzar, Brenlyn's Trooper, Broken Arrows, Calescent, Cuban Royale, Distillate, Fangela, Forever Newyork, Front Page, Gold Spark, Gusonic, Halo Warrior, Handle The Truth, Irish Songs, Julian Rock, King of Hastings, Kitzhubel, Kurocaine, La Sante, Lord Olympus, Mad as Zariz, Mnementh, Northernero, Off Shaw, On The Lead, Prime Candidate, Ready to Humble, Rifles, Ruban Bleu, Salsonic, Shelby Sixtysix, Soami, Starspangled Rodeo, Trust Me, Wild Rocket, Yeldarb, Zell.

MTC Guineas: Brazen Impact, CalmerKarma, Diamond Carat, El Lago, Fjord, Gravy Train Magpie, Jalmari, Kyokushin, Loose Love, Manderboss, Mattash, Miss Ostend, My Girona, Publicist, Readily Availabull, Sea Treasures, Sherwood's One, Strombus, This'llbetheone, Vanilli.

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