Warwick Farm Racing Tips 19 Aug 2026 — Waller’s volume or Waterhouse’s strike?
Hawkesbury Racing Tips 20 Aug 2026 — can Waller own the middle of the card?
The angle I can’t get away from at Hawkesbury
There are meetings where you can spend all morning arguing about track bias, speed maps, and which lane is “the” lane. And then there are meetings like this Hawkesbury one where the story is simpler: a serious Sydney yard turns up in the right races with the right riders and dares you to take the unders.
Chris Waller has two runners in the 1969m BM64 and another in the 1422m maiden, and he already wins often enough here to treat Hawkesbury like an extension of his city program: 50 runners for 8 wins and 21 placings at the track. That is real volume, not a cute stat.
So these Hawkesbury racing tips are written with one job in mind: make you money without pretending every race is a “best bet”. I’ve got a strong opinion in the staying BM64, a couple of races where you can be aggressive with the right type, and one maiden that screams “watch the market, don’t marry it”.
Five races on turf. Distances from 1094m out to 1969m. Let’s get to it.
Hawkesbury — the setup
There isn’t much deep course history among the horses actually lining up today. A few have been here once or twice, and only one runner on the card has the kind of “I keep turning up here” profile.
One horse to note for the track: Johnny Smash has been to Hawkesbury five times and found the placings once. He’s not a specialist, but at least we know he handles the place and the rhythm of the circuit.
Where the meeting does give you something firmer is the human layer. Hawkesbury rewards riders who judge tempo and don’t panic when the turn comes up quickly.
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Jockeys worth respecting here (5 plus rides sample)
| Jockey | Runs | Wins | Places | Win% | Place% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A B Collett | 37 | 5 | 19 | 13.51 | 51.35 |
| Tom Sherry | 22 | 2 | 13 | 9.09 | 59.09 |
| Mollie Fitzgerald | 25 | 3 | 14 | 12.00 | 56.00 |
| J B McDonald | 5 | 1 | 3 | 20.00 | 60.00 |
| Tommy Berry | 32 | 5 | 15 | 15.63 | 46.88 |
| Tyler Schiller | 42 | 6 | 16 | 14.29 | 38.10 |
| C Schofield | 32 | 4 | 13 | 12.50 | 40.63 |
Trainers who turn runners into results here (5 plus runners sample)
| Trainer | Runs | Wins | Places | Win% | Place% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C J Waller | 50 | 8 | 21 | 16.00 | 42.00 |
| G Waterhouse & A Bott | 24 | 4 | 11 | 16.67 | 45.83 |
| Bjorn Baker | 27 | 3 | 13 | 11.11 | 48.15 |
| Matthew Smith | 35 | 5 | 15 | 14.29 | 42.86 |
| Marc Chevalier | 10 | 2 | 5 | 20.00 | 50.00 |
| David Pfieffer | 11 | 2 | 4 | 18.18 | 36.36 |
| Richard Litt | 10 | 2 | 4 | 20.00 | 40.00 |
Odds note: no bookmaker odds were available through the feed for this meeting at time of writing, so I’m staying price agnostic and focusing on what should win and what you can play each-way.
Race-by-race Hawkesbury predictions
Race 1: Mollie Fitzgerald 2025-2026 Hrc Champion Apprentice Provincial Mdn Hcp — 12:45, 1640
Copartner Pegasus is the horse I want to be on, because this looks like the kind of maiden that keeps offering placegetters until one of them finally refuses to lose again. His form line reads like a near miss compilation: 23342. Six runs in the last stretch and he’s been in the money five times, with an average finishing position of 3.0 across his recent sample. That is consistency you can bet around, especially in a field where several are either out of form or still trying to work out how to finish off.
The map angle is kind as well. Gate 4 should let K S Latham land him in the first half without spending petrol early, and at 127.8 pounds he isn’t giving away a silly head start to the key rivals. If they overdo it up front, he’s the one you trust to keep grinding; if they crawl, he’s still the one you trust to hold a position and sprint off it.
The danger is Cape Douglas. Barrier 1 is a weapon around Hawkesbury if Tyler Schiller can hold a spot and save every inch. He’s also one of the few in this race with repeat course exposure, having placed once from two trips here. That isn’t a trend, but it is a positive tick when others come with question marks.
Play: Win bet Copartner Pegasus. If you’re a cautious type, take him to win and save on Cape Douglas for insurance from the inside draw.
Race 2: Micway Midway Hcp (C1) — 13:20, 1203
The market, when it finally loads, will probably lean to the exposed older horses. I’d rather stick with the one that’s been doing everything right and hasn’t had time to get cute: Isawyou.
He’s two runs into this phase and he’s gone 2 and 1. That’s as clean as it gets, and even across that small recent sample he’s already shown he’s not just placing, he’s winning. A B Collett sticks, and he rides Hawkesbury like a track he understands: 37 rides for 19 placings here, better than one in two. From gate 7 he’ll need to be smart early, but over 1203m at Hawkesbury you can absolutely win from a wider draw if you don’t get dragged into a speed duel.
Parthenon is the one who can spoil it. A three-year-old with 119.0 pounds and a “1” next to the name always raises your eyebrows, because they can jump a grade off sheer upside. If Olivia Chambers can land him on a back and peel, he’s the X factor.
Little niggle for punters: there’s no strong course-history edge among the main players here, so don’t overthink “track form”. This is more about who is still on the way up.
Play: Win bet Isawyou. Exacta saver Isawyou and Parthenon if you want to protect against the lightweight improver.
Race 3: Darrin Voss Memorial (Bm64) — 13:55, 1969
This is the best betting race on the card for me because it has a clean logic and a stable pattern you can actually trust. My Charm gets the nod.
Yes, the form is a bit choppy on paper with 91-105, but the placement screams intent. Waller has 50 runners at Hawkesbury for 8 wins and 21 placings, and when he pairs with J B McDonald here, it’s been productive enough to respect. They’ve combined four times at Hawkesbury in the last stretch of data and won once, with two placings. That is a small sample, so I’m not turning it into a slogan, but it does tell you the booking isn’t accidental. McDonald also personally strikes at 1 win and 3 placings from 5 rides at the track, which matters more than a random “he rides well” vibe.
The race shape suits a horse that can take a spot and build. Gate 7 isn’t perfect, but over 1969m you’ve got time to slide in. At 128.9 pounds, My Charm sits right in that middle zone where you can win a BM64 without needing everything to go your way.
I’m taking on The Stars Align at the topweight. He’s been a winning horse (114105), but 132.2 pounds and a draw that can force decisions means he’ll have to do it the hard way if the tempo doesn’t fall into his lap. Jean Van Overmeire is solid enough around here, but you don’t want to give away weight at this trip if the race turns into a stamina test.
The other horse to keep onside for exotics, if you play them, is Highborn Harry from gate 1. He’s only been here once but he did place, and Schofield rides the circuit well enough to make the inside draw count.
Play: Win bet My Charm. Small saver on The Stars Align if he looks set to control the tempo, but I’m happy being mostly against the weight.
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Race 4: Happy Retirement Adam Carney Mdn Plate — 14:35, 1422
Here’s the puzzle: do you take the proven placegetter, or do you gamble on the stable class? I’m siding with the horse who keeps knocking the door down. Sparkling Fire looks like a maiden who has run out of excuses.
His form is 2-2 this prep and that is the profile of a horse who is ready to win if he gets even luck. Tommy Berry rides, and he’s a proper Hawkesbury operator: 32 rides for 15 placings, nearly one in two. From gate 7 he’ll need to avoid being posted, but 1422m gives Berry time to find cover and then let the horse lengthen when others are already off the bridle.
The danger is the Waller debutant Kiviska. You won’t get any exposed form because there isn’t any, but the stable numbers at this track are legitimate and J B McDonald taking the ride is the loudest possible signal without a microphone. If you want a single “stable move” to respect today, it’s Waller and McDonald linking up in a maiden at Hawkesbury.
I’m also giving a little tick to Esquire (Tim Clark) off a debut third. Clark doesn’t have the same course strike as the top two riders, but second-up three-year-olds can improve sharply in these midweek maidens.
Play: Win bet Sparkling Fire. Save on Kiviska if the market is kind and the parade says “ready”. If Kiviska is smashed late, don’t fight it, just protect.
Race 5: Tommy Berry 2025-2026 Hrc Champion Jockey Mdn Hcp — 15:10, 1094
I’m going to start with the shape rather than the names, because 1094m maidens are rarely won by the horse with the prettiest form line. They’re won by the one that lands in the right spot when the sprint starts, and at Hawkesbury that often means barrier and ride matter as much as talent.
Lava Flow is my pick. Gate 1 is gold at this trip, and Schofield is the sort of rider who can make an inside draw feel like two lengths head start. Bjorn Baker’s yard places nearly half their Hawkesbury runners, and while Lava Flow’s “7” on debut doesn’t excite, this is the classic second-run setup where they hold a rail, travel, and suddenly look like they’ve learned the job.
The danger is Artemex because of one thing: the rider. Nash Rawiller has nine rides at Hawkesbury for three wins, that’s a serious strike, and he doesn’t waste afternoons if the horse can’t take a spot. Artemex has been around the mark without winning (8-247) and might be the one who gets the right cart into it from gate 2.
If you want a smokey to include in wider plays, Living On A Prayer for Joseph Pride is the type who can improve sharply first-up, and James McDonald’s absence in this race makes the rider market a bit more even.
Play: Each-way Lava Flow. Small saver win Artemex if the price gap is tight, because Rawiller can steal these when others hesitate.
The plays
I’m not trying to land five winners from five. I’m trying to make two or three solid decisions and let the rest be supporting actions.
NAP: My Charm (Race 3, 13:55). Waller’s Hawkesbury record is built on volume and repeated placement, and this is the sort of BM64 he targets. The McDonald booking at this track has been profitable enough to respect, and the trip gives him time to get it right.
Value: Lava Flow (Race 5, 15:10) each-way. The inside draw plus Schofield in a short sprint maiden can turn one plain run into a winning run quickly.
Banker for multis: Isawyou (Race 2, 13:20). Two runs, a win, and a rider who hits the frame better than half the time at this circuit. He doesn’t need to be a superstar, he just needs to be himself.
Each-way: Copartner Pegasus (Race 1, 12:45). Six recent runs for five placings is the kind of profile that keeps paying you back even when the win is stubborn.
Course angle to keep: when the Hawkesbury gates matter, trust the riders who ride this track like a job, not a novelty. Berry, Collett, Schofield, and Rachel King all have long-run samples here that keep them in the conversation whenever the map looks messy.
Next time Waller and McDonald turn up together in a Hawkesbury maiden, treat it like a signal rather than a coincidence.
FAQ
What time does racing start at Hawkesbury today?
Racing starts at 12:45 with the Mollie Fitzgerald 2025-2026 Hrc Champion Apprentice Provincial Maiden Handicap over 1640m.
Who are the top jockeys at Hawkesbury?
On established Hawkesbury samples, A B Collett hits the frame regularly with 19 placings from 37 rides. Tommy Berry has a similar profile with 15 placings from 32 rides. J B McDonald has the strongest strike on a small but valid five-ride sample, with 3 placings from 5.
Who are the top trainers at Hawkesbury?
C J Waller is the big-volume yard to respect here with 50 runners for 8 wins and 21 placings at Hawkesbury. Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott also do plenty right at this track with 24 runners for 4 wins and 11 placings.
What are the best bets at Hawkesbury today?
My Hawkesbury best bets are My Charm in Race 3 (13:55) as the main play, and Isawyou in Race 2 (13:20) as the safer multi anchor. For an each-way option, I’m with Lava Flow in Race 5 (15:10) off the inside draw.
Where can I find the best odds for Hawkesbury races?
Best Hawkesbury odds can shift quickly once corporate markets go up. Compare prices across the major Australian-facing bookmakers and check late moves close to jump time. You can also follow RacingBase for updated Hawkesbury racing tips as markets firm.
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