Image: Bradley Photos.
The first day of the 2025 Wagga Gold Cup carnival was a disaster for favourite punters, with two of eight getting home, while local trainers dominated proceedings.
Favourite runners did bookend the meeting, with The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Stardom winning the first event.
The well-supported Sydney galloper ($2.70) cruised to a three-length win in the 2YO Handicap (1200m) for jockey Jett Stanley.
The final event was the Benchmark 66 Handicap (1600m), where the Matthew Smith-trained Dark Valour (Ash Maorgan, $3.90) got home by a flared nostril.
Originally race favourite, Mudgee visitor Compelling truth ($5.50) drifted in the market but was too good for his rivals in the $200,000 Wagga Town Plate for astute trainer Mack Griffith and talented apprentice jockey Bailey Wheeler.
Otherwise, it was a day for roughies at Wagga, where two 100/1 bolters got home.
Emergency Master Patrick (100/1) for local trainer Tim Donnelly won the $50,000 Super Maiden Handicap (1000m) for Ash Morgan.
Fellow Wagga trainer Gary Colvin also scored a massive upset, with Newyork Missile (100/1) winning comfortably for Pierre Boudvillain in the Class 1/Maiden (1600m).
In fact, Colvin prepared the running double between races four and five (paying $956.40 in NSW) when Lucy Lulu (18/1) saluted for Regan Bayliss in the Class 2 Handicap (1400m).
Another Wagga trainer, Michael Travers, also landed a rough result when Cinephile (10/1) hugged the rails and kicked away for an impressive win in the Maiden Handicap (1400m) for apprentice Rebecca Bronett Prag.
Donnelly would later land a winning double with Taumata (9/1) storming home to win the Benchmark 66 Handicap (2000m) for Sydney hoop Kerrin McEvoy.
Today (Friday, May 2), four of the eight races have a favourite priced even money or better, and punters will be hoping for a better day at the office.
Paparazzo ($2) looks one of the better bets across the country today, with the Craig Weeding galloping boasting a lot of upside following an impressive maiden win at Benalla last month.
On a big day of racing at Wagga, the $200,000 Wagga Gold Cup headlines the program, with the current favourite Flying Bandit (Jay Ford, $3.90) for Kembla Grange trainer Kerry Parker.
Wagga tips May 2
Race 1: #12 Me Me $1.65
Race 2: #6 Sparklenglitter $1.50
Race 3: #5 Paparazzo $2 (best)
Race 4: #8 Pussyfoot $17
Race 5: #4 Southern Fire $4.80
Race 6: #15 So Youb Pence $1.35
Race 7: #10 Medatsu $5.50
Race 8: #8 Yam $4.20
