Wagga Gold Cup day best bets - On The Punt with Matt Malone

Race 1

8. Sturty should get a nice run and get every chance with the in-form Zac Lloyd in the saddle. The three-year-old hasn't been far away in tougher maidens and looks well-suited to get Cup day off to a winning start for the punters here. 12. Ludovica next best.

Selections: 8-12-10-4

Race 2

Prepared to have something small on 15. Laser Guided Girl here at huge odds. It's an even field and she's been great in her two runs for Shane Bloomfield. She won well first-up, albeit a maiden at Holbrook, then was a luckless third in the Queen of the South Prelude last start. Something each-way at 80-1 can't hurt. 5. Peruno and 10. Letme Entertainyou also appeal in open race.

Selections: 15-5-10-9

Race 3

7. Dolly showed promise at her first three starts before breaking through in dominant fashion here at Wagga last start. She's drawn nicely and if she jumps, she should take some holding out. Bjorn Baker brings 1. Joey D'Or and he will take some running down on the strength of his Orange maiden win. 2. Finn's The Icon has talent but is drawn the car park, while 5. Future Fund won't be far away.

Selections: 7-1-2-5

Race 4

15. Underpants looms as an each-way play here. He produced his best effort yet when finishing sixth in the Country Championships heat to finish last prep. He flies fresh so look for him and will be one for the locals. 5. Love Shuck and 6. King Gutho next best.

Selections: 15-5-6-13

Race 5

Happy to stick with 7. Communication here after her impressive win in the prelude. She drops a couple of kilos, is drawn wide but she should be back and hitting the line strongly. 2. Stormy Witness is the danger. She's dropping back from Saturday city class and was competitive at group two level last prep. The query is a big rise in weight and the quick back up from last Saturday.

Selections: 7-2-1-13

Race 6

Excited to see what 11. It's A Wonder can produce here. The daughter of group one-winning mare Allez Wonder, she's only had five starts but put in an eye catching run at group three level last start when making up a stack of ground from last. She was a dominant Newcastle maiden winner the start before that. 1.Fiddlers Green looms as the danger for the Neasham-Lloyd combination.

Selections: 11-1-2-8

Race 7

11. Cliff House can send the home crowd into a frenzy with victory in the Wagga Gold Cup. It's been decades since a local claimed the cup but after a couple of close calls, Tim Donnelly is well-placed to do it here. The horse's preparation has been faultless and his last start Gundagai Cup win was of the best wins at the Wagga track in recent times. The opposition has to come to him and it's his grand final, and not many of the opposition can say the same. 3. Renaissance Woman looks among the best of the visitors, along with 7.Fawkner Park and 5.Makram.

Selections: 11-3-7-5

Race 8

Big watch on 2. Cruizingdafield here in the last to finish the carnival. A two-year-old winner in town, she's been off the scene for close to two years but has been produced here at the carnival after a nice trial win at Canberra. 5. Best Intent is the danger and will be hard to hold out. There's some value with 10. Miller Time and 12. Princess Halo.

Selections: 2-5-10-12