Strong entries for Hawesbury meeting

Group One winner Aloisia is among the 15 high quality entries for the Hawkesbury Gold Cup, one of four black-type races on the program at the picturesque track on Sydney’s north-western outskirts.

Saturday’s annual stand-alone meeting at the track features the Group Three Cup (1600m), Group Three Hawkesbury Guineas (1400m), Group Three Killahy Equine Crown (1300m) and Listed Gold Rush (1100m).

The winner of the 2017 Thousand Guineas, Aloisia is the equal second-highest rated entry for the Cup on 102 alongside Tom Melbourne with Sixties Groove on 103 for his first start for trainer Kris Lees after winning the Moe Cup when with Darren Weir.

Among the 15 nominations for the Cup are Provincial Championships winner Bobbing and Archedemus, the beaten favourite in the $500,000 Provincial final at Randwick.

Group Three winner, Godolphin colt Ranier, heads the 18 entries for the Hawkesbury Guineas as he tries to salvage his autumn campaign during which he has been unplaced in five starts.

The nominations also included Agassi and Kolding, both winners on the Kensington track at Randwick on Monday.

The Group Three Killahy Equine Crown, formerly the Godolphin Crown, has 19 entries including last year’s winner, the Joe Pride-trained Pecans.

The mare hasn’t raced since December but has had three Warwick Farm barrier trials ahead of her return.

It is the same pattern she followed last year when she beat Ghisoni and Invincibella first-up.

Tactical Advantage is the highest rated of the 21 sprinters entered in the Gold Rush with more than 160 entries taken across the nine races.

In keeping with its status as a metropolitan meeting, the program also features a Highway Handicap for country-trained horses.