Minnie Hauk Leads Home Ballydoyle 1-2 In Epsom Oaks

Ballydoyle fillies fought out a thrilling finish to Friday’s Epsom Oaks in which Chesire Oaks heroine Minnie Hauk (3f Frankel – Multilingual, by Dansili) prevailed under Ryan Moore.

The winner of a Leopardstown maiden on her final juvenile start, the Aidan O’Brien-trained filly made a successful step into stakes company at Chester last month, but faced the likes of 1000 Guineas winner Desert Flower on Friday.

Stablemate Whirl (Wootton Bassett) set the pace under Wayne Lordan at Epsom, while Minnie Hauk raced in second under Ryan Moore and was asked to quicken passing the three-furlong pole. The pair began to rally two furlongs out, with Minnie Hauk edging in front close home to win by a neck, the pair finishing four lengths clear of the Newmarket heroine in third.

On the winner, a delighted Aidan O’Brien said: “She's very classy and Ryan gave her a beautiful ride. He loved her the last day and then again today, so she's very exciting. She's obviously learning - she went to Chester and learnt a lot and was still green, and she was always improving from mid-race.

“What you love about her is that she's a great traveller; she has a lot of class. Ryan felt he was going very easily today on her and usually what that means is that she will be able to step up a couple of grades into even higher-class races. It's lovely for the lads and for everyone to have another filly like that”

Ryan Moore continued: “Minnie Hauk is still learning a little bit. She travelled around strongly and I got to her quite easy, and then she was a little green in front. When the other filly came back she went on again. She's a talented filly and she stayed on well. I'm very happy with her and hopefully she'll build on this.”

Bred by Ben Sangster, Minnie Hauk is owned by Coolmore partners.