‘Incredible for everyone’: mega filly powers to Oaks victory

Indomitable Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien took the Oaks at Epsom this afternoon (6 June) for an 11th time, when Minnie Hauk battled to the line to take the Betfred-sponsored race under Ryan Moore for owners Derrick Smith, Mrs John Magnier and Michael Tabor.

It marked a 46th British Classic success for Aidan, who also trained Whirl, runner-up in this mile-and-a-half three-year-old fillies’ race.

“It’s incredible for everyone and I’m delighted,” said Mr O’Brien. “So many people are involved with this very classy filly.”

This was Minnie Hauk’s first run in a Group race and her fourth career run. She was last seen winning the Listed Cheshire Oaks at the start of May.

“There has been an abnormal amount of improvement from her since Chester,” said Mr O’Brien. “She has come on in class, rather than in stamina and fitness.

“Ryan gave her a beautiful ride today and she is a very exciting filly. She’s going to improve – she’s a great traveller and Ryan said she was going easy early on today so she could step up again.”

It was a fifth Oaks at Epsom victory for Ryan Moore.

“She’s still learning as she didn’t have much racing at two years old,” said Ryan of this daughter of Frankel, who went off second favourite at odds of 9/2 and ultimately won by a neck, but comfortably.

“Aidan had a lot of faith in her. I picked her up easily and although she wanted to roll down the camber on the run in, when the other filly came back to her, mine stayed on again and there’s more to come.”

The horses in behind

Whirl went off as fourth favourite in the Epsom Oaks at odds of 15/2; the favourite Desert Flower (11/10) finished four and a quarter lengths down in third under William Buick for trainer Charlie Appleby and owner Godolphin.

“Whirl ran a great race,” said Mr O’Brien of the daughter of Wootton Bassett. “Wootton Bassett’s are speed horses, but they’re showing that they can stay too.”

Desert Flower, who was making a bid to become the 50th filly to claim both the 1,000 Guineas and the Oaks, was no match for the winner and second-placed horses, but put in a gallant effort.

“She ran very well,” said William Buick. “She was stepping up a long way in trip today and we were hoping the rain would stay away, but it got in the ground and the track was testing and a bit tacky.

“She did everything right, but didn’t quite get the trip and the last furlong was a long one for her. She’s a filly that needs good, fast ground and whether she drops back to a mile and a quarter remains to be seen.”

2025 Epsom Oaks result: Minnie Hauk’s breeding

Minnie Hauk, bred by B V Sangster, is bred in the purple; by the formidable Frankel, out of Dansili mare Multilingual.

Frankel needs little introduction. With a current stud fee of £350,000, he sired 100 Group/Graded winners in 3,144 days, putting him ahead of Danehill, Deep Impact, Galileo and Dubawi. He was champion sire in 2021 and 2023 and also leading sire in Europe by prize money in 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Minnie Hauk’s dam is bred and owned by Juddmonte, and she was trained by John Gosden. She ran only once, finishing sixth and has no prize money to her name.

Minnie Hauk was bought by her current connections at Coolmore for €1.85 million at the Goffs Orby Sale as a yearling.

Read the full report from the Derby meeting in 12 June issue of Horse & Hound magazine.

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