3 minute read

The stand-alone Hawkesbury Gold Cup meeting has attracted big fields, with plenty of depth spread across a tough ten-race card on Saturday.

The Group 3 Hawkesbury Guineas (1400m), Group 3 Hawkesbury Crown (1300m), Group 3 Hawkesbury Gold Cup (1600m) and Listed Gold Rush (1100m) are the four feature races - which all look to be wide open contests.

Our best bet comes up in the Group 3 Richmond Club Hawkesbury Gold Cup (1600m), with the Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) trained Taken.

The four-year-old gelding son of Ardrossan comes up from Victoria looking to secure a Big Dance ticket at Royal Randwick later in the year.

After winning first-up last November over 1400m at Caulfield, the tough gelding is having his seventh race start for the preparation tomorrow, and clearly thrives with his races spaced.

The bomb-proof gelding had genuine excuses with a gritty second in the Listed Anniversary Vase (1600m) at Caulfield on April 11.

Beau Mertens was forced to push forward from the outside gate on that occasion, and the gelding never surrendered when taking late ground from Al Duca in the soft (6) conditions, to go under narrowly.

Tomorrow from barrier three, Tom Sherry can park Taken in the box seat and stalk the speedy Amor Victorious before unleashing his good turn of foot.

Since markets went up on Wednesday, Taken has been heavily supported from $4.60 into $3.50 favouritism.

Our next best comes up in The Lawn Shed BM78 Handicap (1800m), with the Annabel & Rob Archibald-trained Sacrify.

The Justify four-year-old gelding looks set to reach his peak this preparation after closing strongly first-up to run third over 1500m at this track.

Tomorrow, the gelding looks to take control early in what shapes to be an average run contest, and with Molly Fitzgerald's three kilo claim expect to see Sacrify take some catching at the good each way quote.