Hawkesbury Cup Day on Saturday 2 May 2026 stacks three Group 3 races onto the one card, an unusually rich programme for what is traditionally the closing chapter of Sydney's autumn carnival. The Richmond Club Hawkesbury Gold Cup, the Hawkesbury Crown and the Hawkesbury Guineas all carry Group status. Final fields were yet to be declared at time of writing on 27 April, with only Price Kent Racing's Taken confirmed as a Gold Cup nomination.
Group 3 Card
| Race | Distance | Class | Prizemoney | Jump (AEST) | Top of Market |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawkesbury Gold Cup | 1600m | G3 open handicap | $250,000 | TBC | Taken nominated |
| Hawkesbury Crown | 1300m | G3 fillies and mares | Not confirmed | TBC | Field TBC |
| Hawkesbury Guineas | 1400m | G3 three-year-olds | Not confirmed | TBC | Field TBC |
Hawkesbury Gold Cup
The Gold Cup is the headline race, a Group 3 open handicap over 1600 metres for $250,000. It is the kind of mile that suits an honest stayer settling in midfield and finding the line down the straight. Last year Punch Lane took it for Anthony and Sam Freedman with Nash Rawiller riding, sent out a $2.30 favourite on 3 May 2025. The Freedman stable's Sydney handicap form is the constant in Cup Day history. This year Price Kent Racing have publicly nominated Taken from their upcoming runners list. Beyond that, declarations were still pending. Cup winners frequently move on to the Brisbane winter carnival or back to the Scone Cup the following weekend, which gives the race added weight in late-autumn planning.
Crown and Guineas
The Hawkesbury Crown is a Group 3 1300 metres for fillies and mares. The Hawkesbury Guineas is a Group 3 1400 metres for three-year-olds. Both 2026 fields were yet to be announced at time of writing, and prizemoney for the two supporting Group 3s was not confirmed from authoritative sources for this season. Three Group 3s on a single Hawkesbury card is a rare programme. The Crown gives quality mares a sharp metro target heading into winter, and the Guineas gives genuine three-year-olds a Group line on the form guide before the colder months. Trainers tend to commit late at Hawkesbury, so acceptances on the Wednesday will tell the real story.
Track and Conditions
Top pick: Wait on Wednesday declarations across all three Group 3s before settling on a top pick.
Value runner: Anthony and Sam Freedman defending Punch Lane's 2025 Cup is the story to follow. Any Freedman nomination is the first read of the form guide.
Each-way play: Cup winner's next race target gives an angle on confidence. Brisbane winter or the Scone Cup the following weekend are the natural follow-ups.