HOGANS HAWK kick-started a brilliant weekend for the litter from which Seamus Cahill’s bitch came when making all to land the final of the bet365 Hunt Cup at Oxford on Saturday night.

A September 2022 daughter of Droopys Sydney and Powerful Mush, her litter brother Proper Heiress would win the Juvenile Championship at Towcester a day later for a famous family double, but Saturday and not Sunday definitely belonged to the Hove bitch who produced an exhibition of front-running to take down the £10,000 decider at the Cowley track.  

Quickly away from the inside box in the 650m showpiece, Hogans Hawk was soon in command and bossing proceedings off the front as they jostled for position in behind, one by one attempting to launch a challenge to Cahill’s runner but never quite getting close enough to do so, albeit favourite 7-4 favourite Ballymac Madgie (Shaun Gresham) lost all chance at the start with a badly missed break.

Kennelmates Burrows Eclipse (Jason Heath) and Beloved Brenda were first to get close, both in decent positions off the second bend, before 15-8 chance Alright Patricia (David Lewis), who had vied for favouritism with Ballymac Madgie, made her move. However, always too far back, despite her efforts the TV Trophy winner was still two and a half lengths clear adrift at the line.

For the record, the Alfe Ashe-owned Hogans Hawk landed the spoils from keeping-on Alright Patricia and third-placed Millridge Tanic (Chris Fereday), who also kept on well late, in 39.44sec (-15) for the six-bend distance.

Paul Johnson, Oxford’s joint-racing manager, said: “It was a great run from the winner, a really good front-running performance. They almost queued up to get to her but couldn’t get close enough to Seamus’s bitch.

“She’s definitely a worthy winner and there was a nice touch at the presentation because the owner Alfe Ashe’s great friend Shaun Gresham joined them. He’d obviously seen his bitch Ballymac Madgie miss the break which was no doubt disappointing, but then saw his mate take home the trophy. They’ve owned some great dogs together.

“It’s was a superb bet365 Hunt Cup and thanks once again to our big-race sponsors. We might not have got the final we expected but it was a really good event all told and we’re looking forward now to the Pall Mall in July.”