The Hawkesbury Timeform recap featuring a race by race recap of key performers from Hawkesbury Gold Cup Day on April 28.
The meeting each year plays host to horses with Queensland Winter Carnival aspirations and Saturday was no exception to this.
Those willing to forgive the disappointing results of Tango Rain and Warranty could be quickly rewarded.
Pecans and Roman Son are each capable of building on their successes late in the program.
Race 1: She Knows - Class 3 TAB Highway Handicap (1100m)
She Knows looked extremely well placed dropping back from Open Company at Flemington to this. She won accordingly.
A very easy watch if you took the favourite as She Knows pulls clear down the straight to win the TAB Highway convincingly for @dajwilliams on @hawkesburyrc Stand Alone Saturday. pic.twitter.com/R32OZBMGIV
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) 28 April 2018
We’ve got her running to a Timeform rating of 93.
The Denise’s Joy Stakes (1100m) at Scone on May 12 is next for her.
Kendalman was good running second at big odds. Our Rosemaree was catching the eye late in fourth.
Race 2: Graff - Clarendon Stakes (1300m)
Whether at the trials or on raceday, Graff is taking it all in his stride.
Stunts looked to have it all wrapped up coming to the post, but the late surge of speed from Graff sees the @Leesracing-trained colt over the line for back to back wins in the TAB Clarendon Stakes @hawkesburyrc. pic.twitter.com/PVPhmEofjg
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) 28 April 2018
The Star Witness colt produced a Timeform rating of 108 for the run. It’s a sharp spike on what he ran to on debut.
Kris Lees is sending Graff to the JJ Atkins now. The figure he produced on Saturday suggests he’s well on the way to being competitive in a race like that.
Mickey Blue Eyes in second, he should be headed that way as well. That was a strong debut by him.
It’s a quinella worth watching.
Race 3: Siren’s Fury - Benchmark 85 Handicap (1300m)
Siren’s Fury came from nowhere. The Myboycharlie mare settled a long way back and was strong down the inside. She’s run to a Timeform rating of 97.
A patient Jason Collett ride gives the @jason1coyle-trained Siren's Fury all the clear air up the fence, launching past the front-runners for a good first-up win @hawkesburyrc. pic.twitter.com/wZEeec2aDr
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) 28 April 2018
She was only a Benchmark 76 horse prior to Saturday so the four-year-old can perhaps work through her grades over the winter.
Just over half a length split second through fifth. Stonebrook, Philosophy, In Times Of War & Gaulois. They each ran well and are all early in their preps. They can all enjoy their moment in the sun sooner rather than later.
Race 4: Up ‘n’ Rolling - Benchmark 84 Handicap (1500m)
It was a nice return to form by Up ‘n’ Rolling. The run prior he was quite one paced at Rosehill.
Up 'N' Rolling relishes the 1500m trip, winding up down the straight and exploding over the final furlong to take out the fourth @hawkesburyrc for @cwallerracing. pic.twitter.com/E4oxd6Edg5
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) 28 April 2018
It was his first run over longer than a sprint trip this campaign. That’s something of a surprise considering the stable raced him up over 2000m last prep.
There is a 1500m Benchmark 95 for the Castledale gelding at Rosehill in three weeks time. That looks a good race for him.
Hallelujah Boy was good in second.
The old boy Hunter Jack, that was a solid return by him in third.
Race 5: Glenall - Listed Hawkesbury XXXX Gold Rush (1100m)
Glenall returned to Sydney and returned to the winner’s circle. The win has netted him a Timeform rating of 106.
Glenall does battle with Spending To Win down the home straight, wearing him to land the prize in the @hawkesburyrc Gold Rush for @HawkesRacing. pic.twitter.com/20VbG3ELHY
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) 28 April 2018
Team Hawkes put Blinkers on the son of Redoute’s Choice for the first time. They’ve added a length to what he’s been doing so far this prep.
The Ortensia Stakes during the Scone Carnival shapes as the natural progression for him.
Kuro in third resumed well. He can probably go to the Ortensia Stakes as well.
Tango Rain was disappointing. It might be worth forgetting he went around. He’ll likely go to the Ortensia Stakes as well.
On his best form, Tango Rain is good enough to turn the tables on everything who beat him on Saturday. It’s also worth noting connections elected to geld the son of Manhattan Rain during his latest spell.
Race 6: Pecans - Group 3 Godolphin Crown (1300m)
What a return. Pecans settled outside of the lead and stuck to her task strong. The win was given a Timeform rating of 107.
Upset in the Crown!
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) 28 April 2018
Pecans gets a textbook @JoshuaParr8 ride, letting rip a perfectly timed kick to lead them to the line and take out the G3 @godolphin Crown for @PrideRacing. pic.twitter.com/eB4SI8OVQu
She’s a very consistent mare and hasn’t run out of the money in over 12 months.
Brisbane is next for her. It’s one of those cases of timing being everything. The Skilled mare will likely contest races such as the Dane Ripper (or Stradbroke even) and the Tatt’s Tiara right at the peak of her prep, third and fourth run from a spell.
Ghisoni and Invincibella have kicked off their latest preps in good fashion too. They filled the minor placings on Saturday after resuming well in the Sapphire Stakes.
Race 7: Kingsguard - Group 3 Hawkesbury Gold Cup (1600m)
Kingsguard got on the back of Ecuador and let him do all the donkey work before overpowering the Waterhouse-Bott runner in the straight. He’s run to a figure of 107 and gave Team Hawkes a winning double for the day. The stable won this race in 2014 with Leebaz.
Kingsguard does all his best work late to deny the favourites and land the @hawkesburyrc Gold Cup on Stand Alone Saturday for a @HawkesRacing double! pic.twitter.com/nNXFS0dd0N
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) 28 April 2018
Kingsguard has been up for a little while now this prep and been racing well. This was him being rewarded for that consistency.
He’ll go to the Scone Cup now in two weeks. He kicked off his prep in January so realistically anything he achieves from here on out is a bonus.
Ecuador in second was honest as usual.
McCreery found the line nicely in third. I’d love to see what he could do on a wet track.
Duca Valentinois was good in fourth. The UK import won the Scone Cup last year and is definitely going well enough to potentially defend his title in two weeks.
Race 8: Sambro - Group 3 Hawkesbury Guineas (1400m)
It was a nice bounce back to the winner’s circle by Sambro. He had no luck the run prior in the Carbine Club.
Sambro does well to kick back and deny Country Champs winner Victorem in the @hawkesbury Guineas. @JoshuaParr8 finds himself a double with this ride for @cwallerracing. pic.twitter.com/w9N35tYuSa
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) 28 April 2018
He’s run to a Timeform rating of 105. That’s below the five year average of the race.
That’s understandable though as it’s been won by some nice types. Spill The Beans won in 2016. The poster boy for the Hawkesbury Guineas though is Chautauqua who won in 2014.
Sambro has put himself in some good company by winning the race. Also worth noting this is his first prep as a gelding and could be ready to fully realise his potential as a racehorse.
Victorem won’t look out of place racing in Brisbane this winter.
Warranty in fifth was was ridden upside down compared to how the filly won first up on the Kensington track. Even though she was safely beaten, you could do a lot worse than follow her this prep.
Race 9: Roman Son - Provincial Stayers Handicap (2100m)
It was a pretty easy watch for anyone who’d taken the odds on about Roman Son. He won by 2.5 lengths and ran to a Timeform rating of 104p.
A favourites victory in the last @hawkesburyrc, as the classy Roman Son proves far too good them to round off a super Stand Alone Saturday. pic.twitter.com/XmlCTVjpBn
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) 28 April 2018
There was some discussion about taking him Roman Son to Brisbane for Group staying events.
That said, there is a 2000m Benchmark 85 at Rosehill in three weeks which is probably a more suitable rise in grade for now with him.
He’d carry a big weight, however looking at the size of him though it is unlikely to trouble him at all.
