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By Ray Hickson

An in-depth look at every runner in the Group 3 $200,000 Richmond Club Hawkesbury Gold Cup (1600m) at Hawkesbury on Saturday.

1. Skyman (SCRATCHED).

2. Yonkers (SCRATCHED).

3. Floating Artist (Ciaron Maher & David Eustace): Yet to race in NSW and his fourth at Bendigo over 1400m three weeks ago was his first run in 18 months and he went around $21. It was a very nice return, though, as he worked home from last to be beaten three-quarters of a length. He has a nice mile record and has been well found in the market for a horse second-up from such a long break and who stretched out to 3200m. He has a go forward pattern, at least he did last preparation, a small query on whether he might be looking for further but must include.

4. Just Folk (Josh Julius): Consistent type who has been sound in two runs back on good tracks at stakes level in Victoria. Thought he had his chance in the Golden Mile at Bendigo, where he settled with a nice trail midfield and didn’t let down with any kind of sprint but just battled away. We know he’s a superior wet tracker, his good track record reads one win from 13 starts and only one other placing, so while he can run well his winning chances are in the hands of Mother Nature.

Jojo Was A Man (Pic: Bradley Photos)

5. Berdibek (John O’Shea): Rowley Mile winner over this course in 2021 and finished midfield in last year’s Hawkesbury Cup. First-up since the summer where he put in a couple of nice efforts in 2000m stakes races though without winning. His past three campaigns have started at a mile and he’s been safely held, he kicked off at 1400m the only time he managed a first-up win. He is a dry tracker, or at least a little sting out, so the conditions should be in his favour but he’s not getting younger. All that said, place wouldn’t shock.

6. Desert Icon (Chris Waller): Stayer resuming and he’s yet to win below 1800m. Both previous Australian campaigns have started at 1400m and he’s run solid races without featuring in the finish. On everything we’ve seen of this horse so far you’d say he needs about 2000m to show his best so prefer to see him with an eye to next time.

7. Hopeful (Annabel Neasham): Shaped up quite well in his first local prep which kicked off in this race last year with a close second behind Kirwan’s Lane. He won second-up at 2000m with both races run on heavy tracks. Is he a wet tracker? Possibly not suited at weight-for-age in his only other run for the prep but he did finish midfield. Found the line well in his second trial over 1200m at Warwick Farm last week and if he’s in the same order as a year ago he can be in the finish.

8. New Mandate (Chris Waller): Import who has had three local starts in the Five Diamonds, The Ingham and the Doncaster Prelude and you’d say he’s run well in each. First-up in the Prelude he was set a task racing three wide midfield after drawing wide but he found the line okay. Since that run he’s trialled at Rosehill and slid home nicely suggesting this could be his best run to date. Draws okay and he looks a big chance.

9. Jojo Was A Man (John Thompson): On the back up after holding his ground in fifth behind Tamerlane over 1400m last week. He’ll improve on that with the step up to a mile, a drier track and a 4kg drop in weight. Expect going forward will have to be the tactic from the wide gate but he’s effective on the pace and last time he backed up he won over the Randwick mile on New Year’s Eve (that was off a win). Reece Jones knows him well and if he gets the breaks he’s more than capable of featuring.

10. Lord Ardmore (Chris Waller): Thought he was a little disappointing second-up in an open handicap at Warwick Farm over the mile. He had a nice trail and while he was shut out of a run on the home turn he had plenty of room inside the eventual winner and couldn’t pick it up. He has a few things in his favour despite that defeat, he’s drawn well to get a nice run and drops 5kg. Against him? Four of his five wins are on soft ground and he’s yet to place at a mile (though he has won up to 1900m). Each-way chance.

11. My Whisper (SCRATCHED).

12. Hosier (SCRATCHED).

13. Aramayo (SCRATCHED).

14. Laure Me In (David Pfieffer): Sprung back to form with a fast finishing second in the Golden Mile at Bendigo after a couple of fair efforts in good company at Rosehill. He’s won four races at a mile and only raced once here for a fifth in the Rowley Mile last year, where he had his chance. Last win was in August 2021 over 2000m but if he can reproduce his latest performance he’s not without some chance.

15. Character (James Cummings): Have to wonder where this Group 2 winning four-year-old is at, he seems to have disappeared a bit this season with just a third placing from seven starts in 22/23. Freshened up after holding his ground in the Newcastle Stakes, thought he was entitled to finish it off better than he did, seven weeks ago. Went around in a synthetic trial two weeks ago and didn’t do a whole lot on face value. Won the Queensland Guineas this time last year and needs to find that sort of form.

16. Kiss The Bride (Bjorn Baker): Can be a little hard to catch but ran as well as he ever has first-up when resuming at Hawkesbury a couple of weeks ago. He led under 60kg and just blew out late to run third. Plummets in weight and draws to be handy. Won second-up over a mile, albeit on a heavy 10, last time in and then won again third-up so has the profile to improve. Whether he’s up to Group company has yet to be proven with his best result a fourth in an Albury Cup but have seen worse $41 chances.

17. Superium (Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes): Handy on his day but has found the wilderness this time in, he’s been getting back and not finding the line that he’s capable of. Had a three wide trail and loomed for about 100m before levelling out and finishing seventh at Flemington over 1400m last month. Won at that trip at Randwick in December but hasn’t been tried at a mile before. Seems a throw at the stumps.

18. Wild Chap (Brett Lazzarini): Enjoyed a lucrative 2022 with four wins and a number of placings including the Group 3 Cameron Handicap in the spring. Found the 1200m too short when resuming at Kembla then a month between runs and slipped up to Doomben where he led and boxed on for fifth in a 1350m quality. He does relish a mile but he’d need a heavy track to be a factor in this event.

19. Bold Mac (SCRATCHED).

20. Dynasties (Peter & Paul Snowden): Has run a few handy races but yet to fill a placing as a four-year-old in five attempts this season. Not seen since finishing midfield in the Group 2 Emancipation Stakes beaten just over three lengths where she worked home without threatening. Beat Gypsy Goddess over 1800m in her last win, on a heavy track, so she has some ability. Draws well so will get her chance but will need to fire up.

SELECTIONS:
8 NEW MANDATE
7 Hopeful
3 Floating Artist
16 Kiss The Bride

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Hawkesbury Cup meeting