Racing Tips & Best Bets – Saturday, May 2, 2026

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Hawkesbury Betting Tips for May 2, 2026 - Selections for Hawkesbury Gold Cup Day

Alex Marsh

Editor

Last updated: Thu 30 Apr 2026 14:52

Alex Marsh 30 Apr 2026

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Golden Straand and Regal Award are top win picks for the day
Churchill's Choice and World Alliance are each-way chances
Feature races include Gold Cup, Guineas, Crown, and XXXX Gold Rush

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Four stakes races feature on Hawkesbury’s flagship Saturday meeting. (Getty)

Hawkesbury hosts its feature program on Saturday, May 2, headlined by the Gold Cup and supported by a strong card that includes the Hawkesbury Guineas, Hawkesbury Crown and the XXXX Gold Rush.

Hawkesbury Tips May 2
Blakes Marine BM78 Handicap Tips (Race 5)
Elite Sand & Soil Hawkesbury Guineas Tips (Race 6)
Pioneer Services Hawkesbury Crown Tips (Race 7)
Richmond Club Hawkesbury Gold Cup Tips (Race 8)
Hawkesbury XXXX Gold Rush Tips (Race 9)

The meeting brings together several key form races and quality runners, with further previews and analysis across all codes available via Live Racing & Sports Updates.

Hawkesbury Tips May 2

Blakes Marine BM78 Handicap Tips (Race 5)

Hawkesbury Best Bet - Race 5 No. 2 Golden Straand

It's been a terrific autumn for the Matthew Smith stable, with 24 winners recorded since the start of March, and 14 of those victories coming in April at a strike rate of 20%.

One of those was Golden Straand, who delivered as a well-backed favourite when resuming at Warwick Farm on April 15.

There was a touch of arrogance to that fresh victory, with the gelding kept comfortable in galloping room under Nash Rawiller throughout.

Golden Straand had a fair bit in hand on the line, despite not having all the favours.

He could have been aimed at something stronger off that fresh performance, but this is a very smart placement, staying in a BM78 where he only goes up 1kg, and there's no reason why he can't go on with it here.

Elite Sand & Soil Hawkesbury Guineas Tips (Race 6)

Hawkesbury Next Best Bet - Race 6 No. 6 Regal Award

It was an even resumption over 1200m, and with that fresh hit-out, along with a good jump-out under the belt, Regal Award was heavily supported on the final day of The Championships.

A tardy beginning proved very costly there for the Phillip Stokes-trained galloper, who was simply left with too much to do.

He still got home with the fastest last 600m and 400m of that Listed event.

The son of Ole Kirk certainly has his quirks, albeit is not short on ability.

Chad Schofield now not only has the two race-day rides, but also that subsequent tick-over trial at Warwick Farm on April 23, which was a lovely piece of work from Regal Award.

Pioneer Services Hawkesbury Crown Tips (Race 7)

Hawkesbury Favourite - Race 7 No. 4 Oh Diamond Lil

She has worked through the grades easily enough over the last 18 months or so, with the highlight coming via her first stakes success and completing the hat-trick in the process in the Group 3 Tibbie Stakes at Newcastle back in September.

Oh Diamond Lil is effective in the 1300m-1600m range and brings good fresh stats, with a win and two thirds from her three first-up attempts.

There must have been a setback, as she had trialled twice over January and February before going missing, but she has worked recently.

The April 17 hit-out at Rosehill was strong.

If Surfin’ Bird doesn't take her place, there's a good chance Nash Rawiller dictates this up front on the daughter of So You Think.

Richmond Club Hawkesbury Gold Cup Tips (Race 8)

Hawkesbury Feature Bet - Race 8 No. 17 Churchill's Choice

The second-up effort at Rosehill was a bit of a head-scratcher, although runners that get back there often appear worse than they've actually gone.

Along with a freshen-up, Churchill’s Choice has looked good in a tick-over trial on April 13, working home late under Regan Bayliss, who takes the race-day engagement here.

The first-up run, when second in the Group 3 Newcastle Stakes, suggested she'd turned a corner, with the second-fastest closing sectionals of that March 6 program.

Having not quite measured up as an early four-year-old, she was thereabouts multiple times in Group company as a three-year-old following a hat-trick to open her career.

In a very open race, she's worth including at a price.

Hawkesbury XXXX Gold Rush Tips (Race 9)

Hawkesbury Value Bet - Race 9 No. 16 World Alliance

Needing one more scratching to make the final field for the Hawkesbury XXXX Gold Rush is World Alliance.

He hasn't always been the easiest horse to catch.

The son of Rubick has a big finish when conditions allow and is certainly dangerous here if he gets into the field on the 53kg minimum.

Still lightly raced for a six-year-old, World Alliance brings an excellent fresh record, with three first-up wins and a third from four attempts.

He also has some proven Hawkesbury references, which is always worth noting for this track.

While he failed at this meeting last year, that came on a Heavy track, and his subsequent form over the winter and early spring period was consistent.