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Venetian into 9/4 outright after smart bet365 Hunt Cup heat win

Mar 17, 2026 • 2 min read

VENETIAN MICK, the ante-post favourite, lived up to his billing when setting the standard in the opening round of the £10,000 Category One bet365 Hunt Cup over Oxford's 650m course.

Kevin Hutton's charge was taking his record over the trip to seven wins in 11 races, although there was an early scare when he did not dominate immediately as is often the case.

Instead, he was led in heat two by Java Joan but capitalised when that rival ran off at the second bend to nip inside and take command, seeing off her renewed challenge late on by a length in 39.56sec (-30).

He is now 9/4 with the sponsor to land the £10,000 final on Saturday week and 4/7 for this weekend's second semi-final.

Other heats went to Seamus Cahill's Powerhouse Duke (39.68sec), Maxine Locke's The Other Winx (39.72sec) and Angie Kibble's Malcolm Bosh (40.04sec).

bet365 (Hunt Cup): 9/4 Venetian Mick, 5 Ballymac Madgie, Resonate, The Other Winx, 6 Powerhouse Duke, 8 Malcolm Bosh, 14 Java Joan, Salthhill Sydney, 33 bar (e-w 1/4 1,2,3,4).

1st semi: T1 Betweenthesticks 33/1, T2 Powerhouse Duke 3/1, T3 Ballymac Madgie 15/8, T4 Distant Dahlia 20/1, T5 The Other Winx 15/8, T6 Malcolm Bosh 7/2.

2nd semi: T1 Ivy Hill Cherry 16/1, T2 Java Joan 8/1, T3 Remember Betty 50/1, T4 Salthill Sydney 13/2, T5 Venetian Mick 4/7, T6 Resonate 5/2.