2026 Hawkesbury Gold Cup Day Preview

TENENBAUM takes winning form into the Clarendon Stakes.

He’s only made two appearances at the races so far, but after finishing midfield in the Max Lees Classic on debut in November, Tenenbaum returned to action for a dominant win in maiden company at Wyong.

He’s since been freshened, sent back to the trials and on exposed form, he looks well placed here.

OAKFIELD ALASKA puts an unbeaten record on the line in the Highway Handicap.

He’s only made two appearances at the races so far, but after recording a dominant victory over 1200m at Scone in March, Oakfield Alaska franked that performance by winning again in BM58 company last time out.

This is another rise in class, but he’s got plenty of upside and the rise in trip looks to suit as well.

I’m going to give a fit AUDREY’S LANE another chance in this week’s Midway race.

She’s raced consistently this time in, and after returning to action to record an impressive win over 1200m at Rosehill in March, Audrey’s Lane has since filled the minors in similar races over 1300m at 1400m.

There’s no doubting her condition this week and she does have a fitness edge over several key rivals, while she looks well in at the 1500m this week.

SACRIFY is second up into a winnable race on Hawkesbury Gold Cup Day.

Sacrify turned in plenty of fine performances last time in, ending his prep with an eye-catching win in BM72 company at Canterbury in November, while he dusted off the cobwebs with a fine effort behind the likes of Night Agent here last month.

Natural improvement and a rise in trip are both ticks, while he gets into the race well under Mollie Fitzgerald.

This looms as another open contest with plenty of winning chances engaged, and I am going to have an each way bet on the second up CREPE MYRTLE.

She has drawn wide into the race and will need some luck on the run, but Crepe Myrtle has been a model of consistency since debuting, winning three of eight starts, placing a further four times and finding form around some credible opposition.

She strips fitter for a decent run to fill the minors in BM78 company at Warwick Farm and she is yet to finish worse than second at this point of her preparation.

Won by the likes of Schwarz, Hawaii Five Oh and Chautauqua, the Hawkesbury Guineas frequently attracts quality three-year-olds and this year’s edition is no exception.

BUFFALO has turned in two decent performances back from a lengthy break and drops back into three-year-olds company.

Having placed in Group 1 company during his two-year-old prep last autumn, Buffalo returned to action to win the Newcastle Provincial Championships Qualifier in February and despite getting no luck in the run whatsoever, he finished fourth in the Final on Day 2 of The Championships.

Fitter third-up, something like this looks well within his abilities, and we can have an each way play at current odds ($7 at publish).

CHIDIAC chases a hat-trick when she takes her place in the Hawkesbury Crown field.

Having turned in some fine performances throughout 2025, Chidiac returned to action with an eye-catching effort to win the Muswellbrook Country Championships Qualifier back in March and repeated the dose in the final on Day 1 of The Championships.

She’s been kept up to the mark with a trial since that victory, I’m confident she’ll only improve out of it, and something like this looks the next logical step for her to take.

WATERFORD doesn’t win out of turn, but I think he’s ideally placed in this weekend’s Hawkesbury Gold Cup field.

The veteran son of Awtaad has been a faithful servant of the Chris Waller yard for many seasons now, and he did manage to pick off the Group 2 Shannon Stakes over 1500m during his spring preparation in 2025.

He did need his first up run in the Doncaster Prelude to tune up, but he’s been kept fresh, sent back to the trials, and he boasts a strong second up record.

He’s drawn to receive every chance under Tommy Berry, and he’s another whom we can have something on each way.

I’m going to stick with WAY TO THE STARS in the 2026 Hawkesbury Gold Rush.

Having recorded an impressive win in the WJ Adams Stakes at Caulfield back in January, he stuck on well stepping into Group 1 company when eighth in the Oakleigh Plate in February.

I like that he has been freshened again since finishing midfield in the Bob Hoysted Stakes at Flemington in late March as he is a horse that tends to find his best form on fresh legs, while I’m also confident he just has a lot of these rivals covered for ability.

I’m confident that CHARCOALS can make an impact in the last on Hawkesbury Gold Cup Day.

Charcoals is yet to strike in three runs back from a break, but he has undoubtedly shown improvement with each performance, filling the minors in BM94 company at Kembla Grange two back before hitting the line at Rosehill last time out after settling off the pace.

A dry track this week suits and if he can find a slightly more positive position in the run, I think he’s going to prove hard to hold out.