HOGANS HAWK is a litter sister of current track star Proper Heiress and kept it in the family as the Hove raider posted the fastest time in Saturday’s Bet365 Hunt Cup heats at Oxford on Saturday – impressing joint-racing manager Paul Johnson heading into this weekend’s semi-finals.

After the Seamus Cahill-trained September 2022 daughter of Droopys Sydney and Powerful Mush made all in heat two to set the standard in the 650m Category One event, Johnson said: “That’s clearly some litter and certainly Hogans Hawk looks a nice stayer who definitely caught the eye.

“That was some heat against Alright Gordy and Bombay Nutty, so to win as she did off the front was impressive.”

Soon in command and posting a slick 15.09sec sectional, Hogans Hawk came home two and a quarter lengths clear of TV Trophy runner-up Alright Gordy (David Lewis) and Bombay Nutty (Mark Wallis) in 39.29sec (-15).

The victory topped the lot in terms of winning heat times, although others also impressed Johnson.

“I thought Ballymac Madgie ran a really nice race, while Brigadir Brindle showed great trackcraft first time at Oxford and will improve. Alright Patricia just loves Oxford and has a real fan club here, as does her brother Gordy.

“But even a few of those beaten in the heats ran really well and shouldn’t be written off. Hopiehopiehopie, Alright Gordy, Clona Curly, Mad For Sterling and Magical Luna all ran cracking races in defeat and just listing those big names shows how deep this competition goes – it’s definitely very wide.”

The bet365 Hunt Cup kicked off with victory in heat one for Beloved Brenda as Jason Heath’s runner, initiating a good night for Hove-trained runners, was soon on the march before holding the rallying Droopys Creative in 39.89sec (-15).

Heat three saw the Shaun Gresham-trained Ballymac Madgie lead at the first bend for an authoritative three-length win over the fast-finishing Magical Luna (Kim Billingham-Hine) in 39.78sec (-15), before heat four went to David Mullins’ Brigadir Brindle, albeit only narrowly by a short-head from the closing Clona Curly (Diane Henry) in 39.77sec (-15).

The winner posted a fastest-of-the-night 15.04sec sectional on his way to making all.

Mark Wallis was on the mark in heat five with Vhagar who produced a strong-running effort in just his sixth UK start – and fourth win – to grab longtime leader Burrows Eclipse (Jason Heath) and hold the finish of Hopiehopiehopie (Kevin Hutton) by has a length in 29.82sec (-15).

Prolific-winning Alright Patricia brought the Hunt Cup heats to a close with a typically powerful performance in heat six, reeling in Mad For Sterling (Mark Wallis) for an impressive two-and-a-half lengths win in 39.55sec (-15).