Townsville Racing Tips 14 April — can the track lovers cash again?
Hawkesbury Racing Tips 14 April — can Berry boss the sprints?
Hawkesbury, and the one thing I keep coming back to
Tommy Berry turns up at Hawkesbury and the map instantly gets simpler. He is not here to cuddle favourites into runs. He is here to win races from barriers other riders turn into excuses. On this card he lands on a couple that look ready to peak, plus one that can make a mockery of a tricky draw if the speed plays into his hands.
That’s the lens I’m using for these Hawkesbury racing tips: which races can be controlled early, and which ones get decided by the horse that can sustain a run when everyone else starts looking for gaps. We’ve got five races on the turf, most of them made up of lightly raced types where stable intent and race shape matter more than any single number. I’ll give you a clear pick each way, one danger that can beat it, and exactly how I’d bet it.
Hawkesbury — the setup
Limited course form across today’s fields. Most runners have one or two starts here, which is a data point rather than a pattern. Still, a few track notes are worth pinning to the fridge.
Chris Waller has the deepest Hawkesbury sample in the meeting, with 27 runners here for 4 wins and 11 placings. That’s a real body of work, and it matters when you’re assessing a Waller horse drawn awkwardly or asked to do something new.
On the jockey front, you can take Dylan Gibbons seriously around this track. He has 13 rides here with 3 wins and 5 placings. J R Collett is another who turns up and earns, 6 rides for 2 wins and 4 placings. Tommy Berry has the biggest volume on the card: 12 rides at Hawkesbury for 3 wins and 5 placings.
| Jockey | Runs | Wins | Places | Win% | Place% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J R Collett | 6 | 2 | 4 | 33.33 | 66.67 |
| Tom Sherry | 5 | 1 | 3 | 20.00 | 60.00 |
| A B Collett | 7 | 1 | 6 | 14.29 | 85.71 |
| Tommy Berry | 12 | 3 | 5 | 25.00 | 41.67 |
| Dylan Gibbons | 13 | 3 | 5 | 23.08 | 38.46 |
Ladbrokes Review [Updated March 2026] | Ladbrokes.com.au Pros & Cons
- Info Hub
- Mates Mode
Race-by-race
Race 1: Hrc Motel Mdn Plate — 13:25, 1094m
Barracks looks the anchor point in what is otherwise a debut-heavy two-year-old scramble. He’s the only one in the field with a clean recent form hint that he can handle the pressure, coming off a last-start second, and he draws gate 2 to land right on the speed without needing luck.
The stable angle matters too. Ciaron Maher doesn’t have a great strike rate at Hawkesbury overall from a proper sample (10 runners, no wins, 2 placings), so I’m not leaning on a “they always win here” narrative. I’m leaning on the fact that Barracks has already shown he can run to a number in public and now gets Tommy Berry, who knows this track well enough to turn a 1094m maiden into a tactical exercise.
The danger is Air Of Solace. Waller has the strongest course profile on the card and barrier 1 gives R Hutchings one job: hold a spot and make the favourite earn it. If that one is wound up first go, it can win.
Play: Win bet Barracks. If you’re playing exotics, keep Air Of Solace in the quinella.
Race 2: Hahn Super Dry Provincial Mdn Plate — 14:05, 1203m
Here’s the question that decides the race: do you trust the last-start “nearly” horse, or do you take the fitter improver with the stronger base?
I’m siding with Peleus. The form line reads like a horse that’s learned how to race: 566-24. He’s been there when it matters, and the drop into this grade of maiden with Tommy Berry booked says they’re not here for another educational run. Gate 6 is fine at this trip. Berry can slide across, find cover, and make one run.
Smoke ‘N’ Darts is the obvious danger. He comes off a last-start second and J Ford sticks, which is usually a hint the horse gave the rider a good feel. He’s drawn 10, though, and that can force a mid-race decision: press forward and risk doing work, or snag back and need luck.
Don’t ignore Banner Banner either. One run in the last 90 days and it was a second. That’s not a trend, but it does tell you the horse is fit enough to hold a position and fight.
Play: Win bet Peleus. Small saver quinella with Smoke ‘N’ Darts if the price allows.
Race 3: Xxxx Gold Mdn Hcp — 14:40, 1531m
The shape is the story. This looks like a race where the middle draw winners get their chance and the wide gates can get stranded if they’re not decisive early.
Superata appeals as the “does everything right” runner. The form 24-234 screams consistency without being a serial tease, and he draws barrier 3 which should let Nash Rawiller put him in the first four or five without burning fuel. Rawiller has only had one ride at Hawkesbury in this sample and placed, so I’m not dressing it up as some track dominance. I just want the best rider in the best part of the map on the horse that keeps turning up.
Pink Persuasion is the danger and the whole case hinges on Berry making barrier 11 a non-issue. This horse has been around the mark (3239-3) and Waller is a genuine Hawkesbury force with 27 runners here for 4 wins and 11 placings. If Berry can find cover midfield and peel at the right time, Pink Persuasion can simply be better than these late.
The horse I’m prepared to risk is The Champion from gate 1. He’ll get every favour, but he also risks getting pocketed if the sprint goes on from the 500m and the rail turns into the wrong place to be.
Play: Superata each-way. Save on Pink Persuasion if the market drifts into something backable.
Race 4: Tab Agents Association Of Nsw Hcp (C1) — 15:20, 1094m
The market often gets seduced by the last-start win in these short-course C1 races. I’d rather back the horse that can control the tempo and win twice.
Poisonous is that horse. He’s off a 6-1 profile and carries topweight (59kg), but this is the sort of runner that can absorb it if Berry crosses, controls, and gets them all off the bridle at the 400m. He also won on his only start at Hawkesbury, which is a nice sign without pretending it’s a deep track pattern. The bigger point is that Bjorn Baker places his Hawkesbury runners well enough from a meaningful sample: 9 runners here for 1 win and 4 placings.
Gorgeous is the danger because the upside is unknown. One run, one win, and now straight into a race where the right run can take you a long way. Gate 3 with J R Collett is ideal in a 1094m dash, and Collett rides this track well with 6 rides for 2 wins and 4 placings.
One more for the multiples: Hayek drawn 1. He’s got enough early speed in the profile (4415-5) to hold the rail and make it hard for the backmarkers to wind up.
Play: Win bet Poisonous. Quinella saver Poisonous and Gorgeous.
18+ T&C’s Apply. What are you really gambling with? Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a Deposit Limit For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
18+ T&C’s Apply. What are you really gambling with? Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a Deposit Limit For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
18+ T&C’s Apply. What are you really gambling with? Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a Deposit Limit For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
Race 5: Vale Beth Johnson Midway Hcp (C1) — 15:55, 1422m
I’m going to start with the stable move because it’s the loudest thing in the race. Ascot Green comes here off a win, stays with Dylan Gibbons, and the placement looks like a confident step rather than a hopeful one. Gibbons is a reliable Hawkesbury rider with 13 rides for 3 wins and 5 placings, and Ascot Green won on his only start at the track. Again, one run is one run, but it’s a tick in a race where plenty of them are guessing at the venue.
Gate 12 isn’t ideal at 1422m, so the bet needs a plan. If Gibbons can slide across without spending, Ascot Green can sit outside lead or one-one and be the one that makes the winning move at the 600m. If he gets stuck three wide with no cover, you’ll know your fate early.
The main danger is Viewpoint from barrier 2 with Rachel King. The form (821-) says he’s progressive, and the draw gives King the chance to hold a spot and make Ascot Green do the work. If this turns into a sit-sprint, the inside runner with the first crack can pinch it.
I’ll also keep Aranese safe. She’s been consistent (424-23) and barrier 9 gives Ashley Morgan options, even if he needs to make a decision earlier than he’d like.
Play: Ascot Green win bet, but keep the stake sensible because the barrier creates a real risk. Exacta Ascot Green with Viewpoint as cover if you play that way.
The plays
NAP: Poisonous (Race 4, 15:20). The combination of a last-start win, a rider who can control a short sprint, and a stable that places them well at Hawkesbury makes this the cleanest betting race on the card.
Value: Superata (Race 3, 14:40) each-way. The map is kind, the form is rock-solid, and you’re not asking him to find a new level, just to repeat what he keeps doing.
Banker for multis: Barracks (Race 1, 13:25). Proven recent performance in a race full of unknowns, plus gate 2 and Berry.
Each-way play: Superata again. In this meeting, he’s the one whose profile screams “runs top three more often than not” without needing the stars to align.
Course angle to keep: When J R Collett gets a pace-map friendly gate at Hawkesbury, he’s worth upgrading. Six rides here for two wins and four placings is not a fluke, it’s a rider who judges this circuit.
If today’s inside draws keep holding, watch which riders take the initiative early rather than waiting for luck, because this track rewards the decisive ones.
FAQ
What time does racing start at Hawkesbury today?
Racing starts at Hawkesbury at 13:25 with the Hrc Motel Mdn Plate over 1094m.
Who are the top jockeys and trainers at Hawkesbury on this card?
Among the riders in today’s fields, Tommy Berry has 12 rides at Hawkesbury for 3 wins and 5 placings, while Dylan Gibbons has 13 rides for 3 wins and 5 placings. Trainer-wise, Chris Waller has the biggest course sample: 27 Hawkesbury runners for 4 wins and 11 placings.
What are the best bets at Hawkesbury today?
My Hawkesbury best bets are Poisonous in Race 4 (15:20) as the main bet, and Barracks in Race 1 (13:25) as the safer early anchor. For an each-way play, I’m with Superata in Race 3 (14:40).
Where can I find the best odds for Hawkesbury races?
Shop around with the major books and exchanges because prices can move fast in these maiden and C1 races. For today, the live odds feed wasn’t available in the data I pulled, so check your preferred bookmaker’s Hawkesbury markets close to jump time for the best Hawkesbury odds.
Which runners have already won at Hawkesbury?
Poisonous won on his only start at Hawkesbury and lines up in Race 4. Ascot Green also won on his only course start and goes around in Race 5. Frostisen has won on his only Hawkesbury run and appears in Race 4 as well.
Responsible gambling
Support & resources: If gambling is affecting you or someone you know, call Gambling Help on 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.
18+ only. Always gamble responsibly.
Affiliate disclosure: RacingBase may earn a commission when you click through from links on this page. This helps keep the site running, without changing our opinions.
