2024 Hawkesbury Gold Cup Day Tips & Preview
Nugget rates a top chance in Saturday's Hawkesbury Gold Cup. Photo: Steve Hart.

2024 Hawkesbury Gold Cup Day Tips & Preview

Hawkesbury is set to play host to NSW’s major meeting on Saturday with 10 races scheduled on Hawkesbury Gold Cup Day.

The Group 3 feature is a typically wide-open betting affair featuring Detonator Jack third-up and the always honest Nugget in his return from a let-up.

We’ve run the rule over the entire meeting at Hawkesbury and our best bets ahead of Cup Day can be found here.

Race 1 - 11:20AM ST JOHNS PARK BOWLING CLUB 2YO CLARENDON STAKES (1400 METRES)
No. 2 Trafalgar Square

Drawn barrier 7, Trafalgar Square should drop right back in the run in the hopes of saving her best for late again under Chad Schofield.

David Payne’s filly made a big impression winning her maiden third-up at Canterbury two weeks ago, stalking the pace in transit before winding up at the 200m mark once clear to win by a handy 2.8 length margin.

She indicated she’d handle further through the line and is unlikely to find this much tougher dropping 1kg for her efforts.

Race 2 - 11:55AM MIDWAY HANDICAP (1500 METRES)
No. 2 Victory Lane

Victory Lane can bounce back to his best and make punters forget all about his flat effort in the Provincial Championships Final last time out.

The Price-trained four-year-old was taken right back from barrier 15 and unable to fire a shot, a disappointing performance after racing so well in a Class 5 at Kembla Grange the start prior.

By Group 1 winner Invader, his best is certainly good enough to threaten this field with a clearer path afforded for Sam Clipperton from barrier 6.

Race 3 - 12:30PM TAB HIGHWAY HANDICAP (1500 METRES)
No. 9 Gentileschi

The booking of James McDonald aboard Gentileschi is worth noting in this Midway race.

By Dundeel, this impressive filly has strung together two solid wins at Scone so far this prep, making up a stack of ground from out wide first-up over 1300m, before knuckling down to win by a bigger margin over further a fortnight ago.

This is harder again, but based on her ability and turn of foot, it looks the next logical step as she potentially eyes a return to black-type level.

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Race 4 - 1:05PM BLAKES MARINE BENCHMARK 78 HANDICAP (1800 METRES)
No. 3 Kureder

The Chris Waller-trained Kureder returned to form two weeks ago at Canterbury when given a 10/10 peach by Nash Rawiller over a shorter distance.

Faced with a task at hand after settling toward the tail, the pair made up a stack of late ground to lay down a challenge to the winner Terrestar, beaten only half a length in the end.

Fitter for two runs, out over further, and proving more than capable up in Queensland late last year, there’s a big watch on this four-year-old by Ocean Park.

Race 5 - 1:40PM HAWKESBURY XXXX GOLD RUSH (1100 METRES)
No. 4 Parisal

Excellent edition of the Gold Rush with a few of the top chances all proven first-up.

Parisal ticks that box and plenty more, the Godolphin mare returning from a winless but fruitful spring campaign that notably saw her finish runner-up to subsequent All Aged Stakes winner Magic Time in a Group 3 at Rosehill.

Zac Lloyd saddles the daughter of Astern in her return to the races and is likely to push forward early and look to slot in behind the speed.

Unbeaten over the 1100m trip coming off a handy trial win a fortnight ago, there’s plenty to like about their chances.

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Race 6 - 2:15PM PIONEER SERVICES HAWKESBURY CROWN (1300 METRES)
No. 6 Miss Hellfire

She finds it tough to win at times, but Miss Hellfire is open to improvement coming back to compete at Group 3 level with some fitness on her side.

The Hellbent mare trained by Peter and Paul Snowden has had her runs spaced over the last few months, returning from a five-week let-up at Randwick last month where she chased hard to run third in the Sapphire Stakes.

Racing on a shorter turnaround should see her go just as close, while she also gets in well at the weights drawn low in barrier 1.

Race 7 - 2:50PM WORKERS CLUB GROUP HAWKESBURY GUINEAS (1400 METRES)
No. 7 Konasana

Konasana rates the best of the back markers if she can settle toward the tail early from an awkward alley.

Chris Waller’s filly has been super consistent during her eight-start career, returning to the winner’s circle a fortnight ago in a Group 3 when faced with very heavy conditions.

The daughter of Dundeel won third-up at The Valley last time in work and does appear suited sticking to 1400m. In-form with only 2kg extra, she can take this out.

Race 8 - 3:25PM RICHMOND CLUB HAWKESBURY GOLD CUP (1600 METRES)
No. 4 Nugget

Ciaron Maher’s seven-year-old Nugget lines up in a Group 3 for the first time coming off a good gap between runs.

It’s been well over a year since the European-bred import last won a race, but he has been competing in tougher contests – the most recent being the Group 1 Doncaster Mile where he finished three-quarters of a length off Celestial Legend.

The barrier makes this tough for Tyler Schiller, but proven over the mile, always solid off a break, and handy in a recent Warwick Farm trial, he’ll be one of the toughest to beat.

Race 9 - 4:05PM THE LAWN SHED BENCHMARK 88 HANDICAP (1400 METRES)
No. 17 Fall For Cindy

John O’Shea has Fall For Cindy ticking along nicely for this second-up assignment.

The Sacred Falls mare has been an honest customer over the last 12 months, returning a place fresh at Warwick Farm over the same trip to start April where she had plenty go wrong in the run.

Her unbeaten second-up record really appeals on paper, matching her results over her 1400m pet trip in the past.

Likely to improve and in with just 52.5kg, she’s a nice bet at good odds.

Race 10 - 4:45PM CLARENDON TAVERN BENCHMARK 78 HANDICAP (1100 METRES)
No. 4 Baroque Road

Baroque Road ticks a few important boxes ahead of his return to the races.

James McDonald has been booked to ride Ciaron Maher’s smart four-year-old, who so far has put together four wins and a couple of placings from 13 career starts.

His two lead-up trials have both been solid pieces of work, while he’s also done some of his best racing fresh over the 1100m trip.

Drawn low and likely to challenge for the early speed, he’s in with a shout in a very open race.