Madgie in stunning Hunt Cup victory but beaten Hawk still fav

BALLYMAC MADGIE produced the run of the event to date with a brilliant performance in the opening semi-final of the bet365 Hunt Cup over 650m at Oxford.

Shaun Gresham's bitch out-trapped favourite Hogans Hawk and took an early lead she was never in danger of relinquishing, coming home almost eight lengths to the good of that rival in a superb 39.2sec (-15).

The time was inside Havana Top Note's 39.19sec track record in calculated terms and considerably faster than the other two semis won by Jason Heath's Burrows Eclipse (39.65sec) and Dave Lewis's Alright Patricia (39.79sec).

Despite the comprehensive defeat, Hogans Hawk remains favourite with the sponsor for next weekend's £10,000 Category One final.

bet365 show: T1 Hogans Hawk 6/4, T2 Beloved Brenda 10/1, T3 Ballymac Madgie 3/1, T4 Burrows Eclipse 12/1, T5 Alright Patricia 15/8, T6 Millridge Tanic 40/1.

Semi 1: 1st T2 Ballymac Madgie 39.27sec, trainer Shaun Gresham

Semi 2: 1st T5 Burrows Eclipse 39.65sec, trainer Jason Heath

Semi 3: 1st T6 Alright Patricia 39.79sec, trainer Dave Lewis