Race-by-race preview and tips for Hawkesbury on Saturday

Race 1 – 11.20AM MIDWAY BENCHMARK 72 HANDICAP (1500 METRES)

10. Jumeirah Beach has been ridden conservatively at his past four starts and the pattern change has sparked him back into form. The six-year-old came from last to win at Doomben three weeks ago on a soft 7 track. He powered clear to win by a decisive margin. Before that would have questioned his ability to get through the likely heavy conditions at Hawkesbury on Saturday, but the Doomben meeting was abandoned the race after his, and he handled it well. Before that. he had no luck at Rosehill in a Midway behind Inferencia. He should have gone close to winning. The claim of Braith Nock has him in with 55kg. He is one of only two last-start winners in the field. Only has to hold his form to be a big player. Surprised that early markets have him double-figure odds. 9. Gold Pattern found winning form fourth up last campaign before winning again fifth up. She showed little in three runs back this time in before she didn’t get clear running to let down in a Randwick Midway two weeks ago. May have turned the corner. Gets winkers for the first time. 3. Vintage Choice hasn’t won for 93 weeks, but he comes through the deepest races. He was only beaten just shy of three lengths in the Provincial Midway Championships Final. Looks close to breaking the drought. 4. Prince Of Sorts and 5. Miss Hades are the next best.
How to play it: Jumeirah Beach each way.

Lady Laguna explodes away to win the group 1 Canterbury Stakes at Randwick last year, and she looks a strong chance in the Hawkesbury Crown.Credit: Getty Images

Race 2 – 11.55AM TAB HIGHWAY HANDICAP (1500 METRES)

1. Canadian Ruler was an all-the-way winner at Canberra last start, which tops him off perfectly for this Highway Handicap. It looks a target race for Matt Dale, having had three runs for his new stable before being eligible for Highways. Before winning two weeks ago, he ran second to Win The Day first up before running another narrow placing. Ghost Walker ran third there. The point is that it’s proven Highway form around him. The four-year-old is also a proven weight carrier. The 60.5kg should not bother him. Nor should the extra 100m, stepping out to 1500m. Has only raced on a heavy track once in the past, where he ran a distant third behind Cool Jakey, one of the best benchmark wet-trackers in Sydney. 8. Straight Fire has a Highway third already to her name over 1500m, from Rosehill in October. She did enough first up over 1300m in an open BM84. Wet is fine for her, too. 10. Call Me Terry ran second to Ballinderry Sal three starts ago on a heavy track and has held that form in two runs since.
How to play it: Canadian Ruler to win.

Race 3 – 12.30PM ST JOHNS PARK BOWLING CLUB 2YO CLARENDON STAKES (1400 METRES)

1. Aerodrome made a big impression when winning at Warwick Farm on debut over 1200m. He began well to settle outside the leader before eyeballing Hidden Motive at the top of the straight, outpointing the favourite to beat him on his merits. That was despite giving away race experience. There were five lengths back to third, and he ran good time. The son of Ole Kirk, with his breeding suggesting that 1400m won’t be an issue, landed good late bets in the process. The market hasn’t missed the gelding, but this race looks to have a long tail. 2. Damien is the obvious threat. He also comes into this an impressive last-start winner. The Hellbent colt beat the older horses first up over 1200m, justifying being sent around a $1.50 favourite. The overall time was slow, but it turned into a sprint home. Should keep improving and keen to see him out to this trip second up. 8. Zebra Finch warmed up through the line when fourth to Aerodrome on debut. Doubt she can turn around the 5.5-length margin, but she clocked the fastest last 200m split in the race, and being a half sister to Honeycreeper says she’ll relish 1400m.
How to play it: Aerodrome to win.

Race 4 – 1.05PM CLARENDON TAVERN BENCHMARK 78 HANDICAP (1100 METRES)

4. World Alliance raced a touch flat at Kembla Grange last start. That was despite being hard in the market in the Bert Lillye won by General Salute. He settled out the back from the inside draw and never got into the race. The inside was inferior ground, but it doesn’t excuse the seven-length margin. He is better than that. As evidenced by his two runs prior where he placed behind Shezanalister, hitting the line hard over 1000m at Randwick, before being edged out at Canterbury where Memoria ran third. He tackles this seven weeks between runs, but has an outstanding fresh record and has had a trial since. Has won at Hawkesbury in the past and handles all going. Anna Roper rides for the first time, taking 2kg off. 3. Iron Man held down third at Randwick first up behind Need Some Luck. He’s back in grade second up. He is also slightly back in trip, but that’s perhaps negated by a wet track, conditions he loves.
How to play it: World Alliance to win.

Race 5 – 1.40PM BLAKES MARINE BENCHMARK 78 HANDICAP (1800 METRES)

1. Behtar had beaten just six runners home in his first four starts in Australia. The import had shown very little. However, he turned that all around at Hawkesbury last start when closing off late to run third over 1800m. He was held up at moments in the straight, too. The runner-up, Collect Your Cash, and Ahuriri, which ran fifth, have both won midweek races in town since, while the winner, Flying Bandit, started favourite in a BM94 at Randwick. The six-year-old has to back that up now, and has started $151 in his two runs back, but Peter Snowden is keen to see his stayer get onto a wet track for the first time since arriving here. 4. Quantum Cat comes through an important lead-up at Warwick Farm over the mile. He may have finished seventh, but that doesn’t tell the story. He should have finished much closer. The positive is that he should still be fresh for 1800m second up. 2. Jamberoo ran second to Poppin’ Champagne there, boxing away well from outside the leader. He handles it wet and can only improve second up out to 1800m.
How to play it: Behtar each way.

Race 6 – 2.15PM ELITE SAND & SOIL HAWKESBURY GUINEAS (1400 METRES)

4. Just Party returns a gelding. If his recent trial win at Randwick is any indication, it has improved him. The son of Justify didn’t show up in two runs last campaign, the Eskimo Prince and then the Hobartville, well beaten on both occasions. That prompted the gear change. Nash Rawiller has been aboard in both of Just Party’s trials this time back. The three-year-old showed a brilliant turn of foot to win his 1045m heat at Randwick, running down Wanaruah. The 1400m is a perfect kick-off point. Maps well. The unknown is the wet track. 2. Snitzanova went from a midweek maiden winner to a two-time group winner in three runs. It was a rapid rise for the Snitzel filly, winning the Spring Stakes at Newcastle before the Sandown Guineas at Caulfield. The latter was on a heavy track. That sees her the highest rated runner in the field with a 93 benchmark. 9. Media World chased hard in a fast race at Warwick Farm first up, showing desire. He’ll come on from that.
How to play it: Just Party to win.

Race 7 – 2.50PM PIONEER SERVICES HAWKESBURY CROWN (1300 METRES)

2. Lady Laguna looks close to another win. She’s well placed under the set weights and penalties conditions of this race being a past group 1 winner. That win came over 1300m, too. The five-year-old has had the two runs back, racing as one of the top weights in the Galaxy, finding the 1100m a touch too sharp on a good track. That was before boxing on well in a race set up for the closers in the Sapphire Stakes. Commemorative franked the form line by running third in the group 1 Sangster last Saturday. Lady Laguna strikes this third up and third up in spring she ran third in the Russell Balding behind Bella Nipotina and Sunshine In Paris. The prospect of a wet track won’t bother her either. 4. Roots is a deceptively good fresh mare. The 1300m on a wet track looks suitable for her to build on her first-up record, particularly from a gate that should see her stalk midfield. He hasn’t been asked to do much in two trials, the latest at Warwick Farm on Monday. It’s been 74 weeks since she last won, but resuming last time in she ran a half-length second in the Tibbie. Wish this was 1400m for 12. City Of Lights, but she overachieved first up over 1200m behind Need Some Luck suggesting that she’s in for a good campaign. 7. Coco Jamboo won this race as a $41 chance last year. Worried that 10. Tashi gets forced back to the inside from the draw.
How to play it: Lady Laguna to win.

Race 8 – 3.25PM RICHMOND CLUB HAWKESBURY GOLD CUP *BIG DANCE ELIGIBILITY* (1600 METRES)

1. My Oberon has only ever raced on two heavy tracks in his 33 starts. Both have come in Australia. One was the group 2 Crystal Mile win at Moonee Valley, his first run across from the UK. The second was a narrow second to Mr Brightside in the 2023 Doncaster. Don’t sleep on how effective this eight-year-old is on wet tracks. He resumed in the All Aged Stakes over 1400m and after settling last from the wide gate, never got into the race. Forget that. He jumped $101. He’s back in grade and lumping the 60kg top weight, but on his day, he is a genuine weight-for-age quality horse. Second up in spring he gave Fangirl a run for her money in the 7 Stakes, and that was on a good track. Two starts after that he ran third in a King Charles behind Ceolwulf and Pride Of Jenni. Nash Rawiller took no prisoners when winning aboard 5. Punch Lane, which backs up for the third week in a row. Wish he’d drawn wider to allow Nash to adopt the same style of ride. 11. Floating looks big odds given his record on wet tracks. Had no luck behind Sandpaper two weeks ago. Plenty of other chances, including 4. Osipenko, 9. Tavi Time and 12. Matcha Latte.
How to play it: My Oberon to win.

Race 9 – 4.05PM HAWKESBURY XXXX GOLD RUSH (1100 METRES)

12. In Flight could not hold off the late charge of Pisanello first up at Canterbury, but there is no shame in that. This mare was urged along in the early stages to keep in touch. She never got the chance to travel, being the first horse to come under pressure in a truly run contest yet still held down second. The biggest pointer to her chances on Saturday is getting back onto a rain-affected track. All five of her career wins have come on soft and heavy ground. During the winter months last year she charged through the grades. One of those wins included a two-length romp with 60kg at Randwick. Drops to 53kg up in grade here, having carried 55.5kg last start. Don’t mind the wide draw for her either. Her stablemate 1. Dragonstone, also trained by Joe Pride, is flying. He pays the penalty for his record, being asked to carry 59.5kg, but big weights haven’t stopped him performing well in the past, despite being a diminutive sprinter. Had excuses last start in the Hall Mark with the race not being run to suit. Maps to be last from the draw. 9. Fire Star comes through the same Canterbury race as In Flight. He was heavily backed late, but after settling outside the leader, was left a sitting shot for the closers. That outing should knock the fresh edge off him. Won four in a row before spelling, on wet and dry tracks. Throw 7. Astero into trifectas at odds. He likes wet ground too.
How to play it: In Flight to win.

Race 10 – 4.45PM THE LAWN SHED BENCHMARK 88 HANDICAP (1400 METRES)

3. Cool Jakey just gets 1400m. He wasn’t able to dictate at Randwick last start and that proved detrimental to his chances. He doesn’t have a turn of foot. He grinds his rivals into the ground. Adam Hyeronimus got the timing spot on when winning aboard him at Warwick Farm three starts ago. Loves wet ground so that suits. Must respect that 7. Gallant Star started a $2.60 favourite in the Country Championships Final. He had his chance but wasn’t good enough on the day, racing below his best. Know Thyself and Fukubana have since franked the form. His record suggests that he is more dynamic on top of the ground. 10. Moby Dick found the line last start like he wants 1400m now.
How to play it: Cool Jakey to win.

Supplied by Racing NSW
Full form and race replays available at racingnsw.com.au