It’s the biggest day on the calendar of the provincial club, and we’re off to Hawkesbury on Saturday for another edition of Hawkesbury Gold Cup Day.
There are ten winners to be found in total, and I am confident in having unearthed a few of them below in my 2023 Hawkesbury Gold Cup Day Tips.
Zardozi puts her unbeaten record on the line in the Clarendon Stakes and does look the one to beat again.
The Godolphin filly showed ability at the trials prior t debuting and flashed late to get up at Gosford last month, and she franked that performance with a dominant one on the heavy here last time out.
This is harder, but she has plenty of upside and can continue her rise through the grades.
Dollar Magic takes winning form into the second on Hawkesbury on Saturday and looks well placed to make it two in a row.
The Shamus Award mare worked home well into second in a similar race at Randwick back in January, and she returned from a break to win in Class 2 company at Scone.
Her second-up record is excellent, and she does look up to winning something like this.
Shadows Of Love has been excellent since resuming this time and looks the one to beat in this week’s Highway race.
The Dissident filly broke her maiden here first-up last month and made it two in a row in Class 1 company.
She steps out this week fourth up and following an agonisingly close second in BM68 company, and she does look ready for a crack at Saturday grade.
Ausbred Flirt returned to winning form second up from a spell and is another that can make it two in a row on Hawkesbury Gold Cup Day.
The Maurice mare finished midfield behind Zapateo in the Birthday Card Stakes first up from a spell, but attacked the line to record the fourth win of her career a fortnight ago.
Fitter third-up and out in trip, I can’t find a reason why she won’t be in the finish.
I’m keen to give Fire another chance at Hawkesbury this weekend.
Fire found form around some above average gallopers during his spring prep last year, and he returned this time for a credible second placing in BM78 company at Sandown.
He was last seen finishing down the order in the Lightning Stakes, but he has been freshened since then, and this is obviously an enormous drop in class.
I think Andermatt will take a power of beating in the Gold Rush.
The Snitzel gelding beat home some talented rivals in a BM90 race at Rosehill back in February and was kept fresh for a crack in Group 1 company, albeit a failed tilt.
I like that he has been freshened again, and he is another galloper that will relish a big drop in class this week.
There is a case to be made for a few of them in this year’s Hawkesbury Guineas field, and I am going to give Hell I Am another chance at a price ($17 at publish).
Hell I Am has been a great horse for John O’Shea throughout his career, and he returned to the race in good form during his recent summer prep: winning a Magic Millions race at Wyong before filling the minors on the Gold Coast.
He’s yet to show his best in two starts back this time, but a return to soft going this week should prove beneficial, and he is nearing peak fitness.
We can have an each way play at the price.
I’m very keen on Never Talk in the Hawkesbury Crown.
Never Talk didn’t show a lot in her first run back this year but she was freshened, sent back to the trials, and powered home into second behind Zapateo in the Sapphire Stakes on Day 2 of The Championships.
Fitter third-up, she’ll just need some luck from the barrier, and I can’t find a reason why she won’t be in the finish.
This is an interesting edition of the Hawkesbury Cup, and I am going to have something on warm favourite Floating Artist.
He is lightly raced in Australia, but Floating Artist has hardly returned a poor effort, and finished fourth behind Verry Elleegant in the 2021 Melbourne Cup.
Following 18 months in the paddock, he returned to finish fourth, beaten less than a length on Golden Mile Day, and I’m confident he’ll take big improvement for that hit-out.
Spangler couldn’t have been more impressive in the Provincial Championships Final on Day 2 of The Championships, and he can record another win in the last on Hawksbury Gold Cup Day.
The Starspangledbanner gelding has improved noticeably with each start back this time and greeted the judge nearly five lengths ahead of his rivals last time out.
He’s rock-hard fit and understandably, James McDonald keeps the ride.