The Hawkesbury Gold Cup is the showcase race at the late April or early May meeting held at Hawkesbury Racecourse on the outskirts of Sydney following the action of the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival.
The next edition of the Hawkesbury Gold Cup runs on Saturday, May 2, 2026 at Hawkesbury Racecourse, Clarendon, as a $3 million The Big Dance race qualifier.
2026 Hawkesbury Gold Cup Odds
The season’s top Hawkesbury Gold Cup 2026 betting odds on the potential winter-bound staying types will be available here on race week so stay tuned for access to the best Hawkesbury racing odds and offers.
| 17. Churchill’s Choice (7) J: Regan Bayliss 54kg 50×29T: Nathan Doyle | ||
| 15. Palmetto (1) J: Alysha Collett 53kg x2700T: John Sargent | ||
| 12. War Eternal (4) J: Adam Farragher 54kg 45956T: Bjorn Baker | ||
| 9. Taken (3) J: Tom Sherry 54kg 01522T: Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr | ||
| 3. Amor Victorious (10) J: Josh Parr 57.5kg 0619xT: Bjorn Baker | ||
| 13. Imperialist (12) J: Andrew Adkins 53kg 2043xT: Chris Waller | ||
| 10. Shohisha (9) J: Chad Schofield 54kg 7×475T: David Payne | ||
| 2. Tavi Time (14) J: Dylan Gibbons 58kg 791×7T: Kris Lees | ||
| 1. Middle Earth (11) J: Nash Rawiller 59.5kg 033×8T: Ciaron Maher | ||
| 16. Yet He Moves (8) J: Rachel King 53kg 216×5T: Chris Waller | ||
| 5. Vivy Air (2) J: Reece Jones 57kg 18×30T: Ciaron Maher | ||
| 8. Waterford (5) J: Tommy Berry 56.5kg 060×8T: Chris Waller | ||
| 6. Royal Supremacy (6) J: Braith Nock 57kg 2150xT: Ciaron Maher | ||
| 11. Sky Lab (13) J: Jeff Penza 54kg 965×0T: Paul Perry |
Hawkesbury Gold Cup Tips
Top Hawkesbury Gold Cup tips include looking for proven performers at the track / distance and those mile types coming out of tougher Sydney autumn lead-ups.
Four and five-year-olds weighted around 54kg – 56kg have an excellent strike-rate and make a top Hawkesbury Gold Cup betting tip.
2026 Hawkesbury Gold Cup Tips
Our Ladbrokes’ exclusive Hawkesbury Gold Cup 2026 betting tips and Group 3 racing selections will be detailed below leading up to the Hawkesbury showdown so bookmark this page for the end-of-autumn runners to back and sack.
| 9. Taken (3) J: Tom Sherry 54kg 01522T: Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr |
| 5. Vivy Air (2) J: Reece Jones 57kg 18×30T: Ciaron Maher |
| 16. Yet He Moves (8) J: Rachel King 53kg 216×5T: Chris Waller |
An open handicap race run over a mile (1600m), the Group 3 event offers $250,000 in prize money and was first run in 1980.
Hawkesbury Gold Cup Day features three Group 3 races with the Cup supported on the card by the Group 3 $250,000 Hawkesbury Guineas (1400m) and the Group 3 $250,000 Hawkesbury Crown (1300m).
The event was first run in the summer as a lead-up into the Group 2 Villiers Stakes (now the $2 million The Ingham) up until 2013 when moved to August as a preliminary race for Epsom Handicap-bound runners. The following year it was moved again and is now its own feature during the autumn – winter racing season.
Originally the Hawkesbury Gold Cup ran over 2000m before the distance was reduced to 1600m in 1989 and has held Group 3 status since 1997.
In 2020 it took place at Rosehill Gardens over a reduced distance of 1500m due to COVID-19 related restrictions.
In 2015 the Hawkesbury Gold Cup meeting was abandoned after the first race due to unsafe track conditions and was later rescheduled, running in June that year.
The Hawkesbury Gold Cup is also a The Big Dance qualifier with eligibility for the $3 million Sydney race on Melbourne Cup Day for the first two past the post.
Hawkesbury Gold Cup Race Info
- Date: Saturday, May 2, 2026
- Track: Hawkesbury Racecourse
- Distance: 1600m
- Conditions: Handicap
- Status: Group 3
- Prize Money: $250,000
- First Run: 1980
2026 Hawkesbury Gold Cup Results
The complete Hawkesbury Gold Cup Results 2026 and Finishing Order will be available below once the race takes place at on Saturday, May 2, 2026.
- #17 Churchill's Choice
- #15 Palmetto
- #12 War Eternal
Hawkesbury Gold Cup Betting
Hawkesbury Gold Cup betting markets are led by in-form Sydney-trained middle-distance runners coming off a similar grade run during the autumn and any locally proven runners in the mix.
Amangiri ($4.80 in 2020) and Punch Lane ($2.30 in 2025) are the latest favourites in Hawkesbury Gold Cup betting to win.
Hawkesbury Gold Cup Field
The Hawkesbury Gold Cup race field attracts a quality line-up of milers, many of which may be eyeing a trip to Queensland for the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival.
Potential lead-up races for runners in the Hawkesbury Gold Cup field include Rosehill’s Group 3 Neville Sellwood Stakes (2000m) held a month before or the Group 3 Doncaster Prelude (1500m) at the same meeting.
New Mandate (9th in 2023) was the last Doncaster Prelude graduate to go on and win the Hawkesbury Gold Cup.
The better runners out of the Hawkesbury Gold Cup field may continue onto Queensland for the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival targeting a race like the Group 1 Doomben Cup (2000m) held three weeks later.
Hawkesbury Gold Cup nominations close the Monday before the race runs on the Saturday and the final field along with barriers are released on the Wednesday.
2026 Hawkesbury Gold Cup Field
The official Hawkesbury Gold Cup 2026 Final Field and barrier draw will be available below once announced the Wednesday of race week so stay tuned to see what gallopers are in the mix for the Hawkesbury Gold Cup Day feature race.
The 2026 Hawkesbury Gold Cup final field features a capacity line-up of milers including the spring’s Rosehill Gold Cup runner-up Imperialist, in-form four-year-old Taken coming off a close second in Caulfield’s Listed Anniversary Vase and the widely drawn Chris Waller-trained Osipenko racing second-up.
| Entrant | Last 6 | Sex | Barrier | Weight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. Middle Earth
J: Nash Rawiller
T: Ciaron Maher |
9033x8 | G | 11 | 59.5kg | |
|
2. Tavi Time
J: Dylan Gibbons
T: Kris Lees |
8791x7 | G | 14 | 58kg | |
|
3. Amor Victorious
J: Josh Parr
T: Bjorn Baker |
80619x | G | 10 | 57.5kg | |
| 4. Osipenko (18) Scratched: | |||||
|
5. Vivy Air
J: Reece Jones
T: Ciaron Maher |
218x30 | M | 2 | 57kg | |
|
6. Royal Supremacy
J: Braith Nock
T: Ciaron Maher |
12150x | G | 6 | 57kg | |
| 7. Sea King (1) Scratched: | |||||
|
8. Waterford
J: Tommy Berry
T: Chris Waller |
0060x8 | G | 5 | 56.5kg | |
|
9. Taken
J: Tom Sherry
T: Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr |
101522 | G | 3 | 54kg | |
|
10. Shohisha
J: Chad Schofield
T: David Payne |
77x475 | M | 9 | 54kg | |
|
11. Sky Lab
J: Jeff Penza
T: Paul Perry |
x965x0 | G | 13 | 54kg | |
|
12. War Eternal
J: Adam Farragher
T: Bjorn Baker |
045956 | G | 4 | 54kg | |
|
13. Imperialist
J: Andrew Adkins
T: Chris Waller |
12043x | G | 12 | 53kg | |
| 14. Captain Furai (15) Scratched: | |||||
|
15. Palmetto
J: Alysha Collett
T: John Sargent |
3x2700 | G | 1 | 53kg | |
|
16. Yet He Moves
J: Rachel King
T: Chris Waller |
3216x5 | G | 8 | 53kg | |
|
17. Churchill's Choice
J: Regan Bayliss
T: Nathan Doyle |
450x29 | M | 7 | 54kg | |
| 18. Hyperbolic (17) Scratched: | |||||
| 19. Cosmeena (8) Scratched: | |||||
2026 Hawkesbury Gold Cup Nominations
The Hawkesbury Gold Cup nominations 2026 nominations close the Monday of race week.
| Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Hcp Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 187x80619x | AMOR VICTORIOUS | G | 6 | Bjorn Baker | 104 |
| 2 | 6324×31311 | CAPTAIN FURAI | G | 5 | Chris Waller | 93 |
| 3 | 3532×33120 | CHICA MOJITO (NZ) | M | 5 | Chris Waller | 100 |
| 4 | 6x09450x29 | CHURCHILL’S CHOICE | M | 4 | Nathan Doyle | 89 |
| 5 | 4425×18918 | COSMEENA | M | 4 | Michael Vella | 70 |
| 6 | 13x8112x50 | HYPERBOLIC (NZ) | M | 4 | Brad Widdup | 85 |
| 7 | 5x9712043x | IMPERIALIST (NZ) | G | 4 | Chris Waller | 95 |
| 8 | 27720×1738 | LORD PENMAN (NZ) | G | 4 | Chris Waller | 97 |
| 9 | 9x509033x8 | MIDDLE EARTH (GB) | G | 6 | Ciaron Maher | 108 |
| 10 | 5x430174x4 | OSIPENKO (NZ) | G | 6 | Chris Waller | 104 |
| 11 | 06583×2700 | PALMETTO (NZ) | G | 7 | John Sargent | 93 |
| 12 | x00112150x | ROYAL SUPREMACY (IRE) | G | 5 | Ciaron Maher | 103 |
| 13 | 136x107x07 | SEA KING (GB) | G | 7 | Matthew Dunn | 102 |
| 14 | x613489x68 | SHEEZA DIVA | F | 3 | Mitchell & Desiree Kearney | 66 |
| 15 | 1x4177x475 | SHOHISHA | M | 4 | David Payne | 94 |
| 16 | 4678x965x0 | SKY LAB | G | 8 | Paul Perry | 92 |
| 17 | 111×101522 | TAKEN (NZ) | G | 4 | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | 95 |
| 18 | 2x458791x7 | TAVI TIME (NZ) | G | 6 | Kris Lees | 105 |
| 19 | 2x21218x30 | VIVY AIR | M | 5 | Ciaron Maher | 107 |
| 20 | 69×9045956 | WAR ETERNAL (NZ) | G | 7 | Bjorn Baker | 90 |
| 21 | 4x010060x8 | WATERFORD (IRE) | G | 7 | Chris Waller | 102 |
| 22 | 23153216×5 | YET HE MOVES | G | 6 | Chris Waller | 90 |
| 23 | 211217x | ZAHRANN (IRE) | H | 4 | Ciaron Maher | 100 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
Hawkesbury Gold Cup Form Guide
The Hawkesbury Gold Cup form guide features all the must know info like saddlecloth numbers, barriers, jockeys, trainers and lead-up form for all horses in the field.
Studying the Hawkesbury Gold Cup form for middle-distance horses with good form over 1600m, previous Group 3 or even Group 2 runners from the Sydney Autumn Carnival and local hopes with a nice Hawkesbury record is key when looking to tip the Hawkesbury Gold Cup winner.
The 2022 winner Kirwan’s Lane franked the Hawkesbury Gold Cup form coming back in the summer to win the Group 2 $2 million The Ingham (1600m) at Randwick, while the third placegetter Atishu was third in The Ingham results as well before returning in the autumn of 2023 to win the Group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m).
2026 Hawkesbury Gold Cup Form Guide
A link to our comprehensive Hawkesbury Gold Cup 2026 Form Guide will be provided for punters below the week of the race.
CLICK HERE FOR OUR FULL 2026 HAWKESBURY GOLD CUP FORM GUIDE
Past Hawkesbury Gold Cup Results
Notable Hawkesbury Gold Cup winners include Regal Native (1988), two-time champion Magic Road (1995-96), Court’s In Session (2004), Darci Be Good (2012), Sons of John (2015), and Archedemus (2019, 2021).
Amangiri (2020) was the last Hawkesbury Gold Cup winning mare.
Recent Hawkesbury Gold Cup Winners
Recent Hawkesbury Gold Cup winners and placegetters dating back to the year 2000 are detailed in the below table.
| Year | Winner | Second | Third |
| 2026 | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| 2025 | Punch Lane | Osipenko | My Oberon |
| 2024 | Just Folk | Detonator Jack | Welwal |
| 2023 | New Mandate | Desert Icon | Jojo Was A Man |
| 2022 | Kirwan’s Lane | Hopeful | Atishu |
| 2021 | Archedemus | Royal Celebration | Purple Sector |
| 2020 | Amangiri | Live And Free | Another Dollar |
| 2019 | Archedemus | Tom Melbourne | Sixties Groove |
| 2018 | Kingsguard | Ecuador | Mccreery |
| 2017 | Fabrizio | Moher | Testashadow |
| 2016 | Amovatio | Mighty Lucky | Casino Dancer |
| 2015 | Sons Of John | Tales Of Grimm | Rugged Cross |
| 2014 (May) | Leebaz | Wistful | Keep Cool |
| 2013 (Aug) | Coup Ay Tee | Julienas | Darci Be Good |
| 2012 (Nov) | Darci Be Good | Isopach | Praecido |
| 2011 | Somepin Anypin | Willy Jimmy | Renewed Vitality |
| 2010 | Thankgodyou’rehere | Glintz | Kimillsy |
| 2009 | Keepin The Dream | Spinney | Bernicia |
| 2008 (Nov) | Nuclear Sky | Alverta | Gergis |
|
2007 Race Not Held | – | – | – |
| 2006 | Beauty Watch | Friday Creek | Prince Arthur |
| 2005 | Wild Queen | Verb | Cateclipse |
| 2004 | Court’s In Session | Magsaya | Salgado |
| 2003 | Stoway | Vital Agreement | Takas |
| 2002 | This Manshood | Huge Demand | Evander |
| 2001 | Carael Boy | Play Station | Ra Eclipse |
| 2000 | Huge Demand | Grey And Gold | Lanolin |
FAQ
Who won the 2025 Hawkesbury Gold Cup?
The 2025 Hawkesbury Gold Cup was won by five-year-old So You Think gelding Punch Lane at $2.30 favouritism for trainers Anthony & Sam Freedman with jockey Nash Rawiller aboard on 57.5kg from barrier 2 to win by 1.32 lengths in a time of 1:36.15.
When is the Hawkesbury Gold Cup 2026?
Saturday, May 2, 2026What is the prize money for the Hawkesbury Gold Cup 2026?
$250,000
Where is the Hawkesbury Gold Cup 2026?
Hawkesbury Racecourse, 1 Racecourse Road Clarendon NSW 2756.
How do I bet on the 2026 Hawkesbury Gold Cup?
Bet online or via the latest iOS/Android apps with Ladbrokes.
The first step is to create an account at ladbrokes.com.au. The process is quick and easy!
Once you've created your account you can make a deposit via credit card, or any other of our secure payment methods.
Next up, head to the racing page and find the race and runner that's right for you.
Which horse will win the 2026 Hawkesbury Gold Cup?
The best way to pick which horse will win the Hawkesbury Gold Cup is to take into account the form, assess the barriers, and consider the weight the horse will carry (among other factors). Check out ladbrokes.com.au in the lead up to the race for full form information.