Minnie Hauk

York's Knavesmire is the battleground for Europe's elite over the next four days, with the Ebor Festival playing out on the flat expanse as renowned for its uncomplicated nature as the folk who emanate from the county. Fair and upfront in true Yorkshire spirit, the track which sealed the reputation of City Of Troy 12 months ago will make or break the leading protagonists of the four Group 1 races staged over the piece, including the newly-upgraded City Of York on Saturday, Britain's first seven-furlong event in this category. That...

One of two British-trained horses in the G1 Yorkshire Oaks after declarations on Friday, Estrange (Night Of Thunder) and her team are hopeful that some rain will increase her chances in the August 21 showpiece. A homebred for Cheveley Park Stud and trained by David O'Meara, the grey has won four of her five starts, with a victory in the G2 Lancashire Oaks last out at Haydock in July on her resume. "It depends which forecast you look at, and I am probably guilty of looking at the one I...

The Coolmore partners' G1 Goodwood Cup hero Scandinavia anchors 11 Ballydoyle nominees for the G1 Betfred St Leger at Doncaster in September. There are 26 horses entered overall in the oldest British Classic, which will be held on September 13. By Justify, the Aidan O'Brien trainee ran fifth to Paddy Twomey's Carmers in the G2 Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot, but rebounded to claim the G3 Bahrain Trophy Stakes at Newmarket with Richard Hannon's Nightime Dancer (Ghaiyyath) second, prior to his Goodwood heroics.  Lambourn (Australia), a winner of the G1...

The early part of last week was spent covering the JRHA Select Sale in Japan, a trip that is always illuminating, to an auction that remains extraordinary. Number one of the list of most surprising things from the five days spent in Hokkaido was Teruya Yoshida picking up his guitar to serenade guests with a rendition of John Denver's Take Me Home, Country Roads. An excellent choice of song, well performed. The Shadai Farm principal should be encouraged to form a Travelling Wilburys-style bloodstock supergroup. Bluegrass enthusiast and songwriter Arthur...

Saturday, Curragh, post time: 15:40, JUDDMONTE IRISH OAKS-G1, €290,000, 3yo, f, 12fT Field: Bay Colony (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), Butterfly Wings (Justify), Island Hopping (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Merrily (No Nay Never), Minnie Hauk (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Subsonic (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Wemighttakedlongway (Ire) (Australia {GB}). TDN Verdict: Few will bet against Minnie Hauk completing the Oaks double in this impoverished field which doesn't deserve its Classic status. Only the well-beaten Oaks fourth Wemightakedlongway and a relative miracle stands in the way of Ballydoyle's Epsom heroine and it will...

Friday, Newbury, post time: 16:10, THE IRE-INCENTIVE - PAYS TO BUY IRISH ROSE BOWL S.-Listed, £45,000, 2yo, Open, 6f 0y Field: Amorim (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), Do Bronxs (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}), First Legion (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), Kolkata Knight (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}), Nuevo Slovo (Ire) (James Garfield {Ire}), Rock On Thunder (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Wise Approach (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}). TDN Verdict: TDN Rising Star Wise Approach sets the standard on his Norfolk Stakes second, with this trip sure to suit better than the five at Ascot. Amorim...

Ballydoyle's Minnie Hauk (Frankel) looks to have a relatively straightforward task of completing a Classic double in Saturday's G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks at The Curragh, with three of her six rivals from her own stable. Set to start long odds-on, the Oaks heroine will be joined by Butterfly Wings (Justify), Island Hopping (Wootton Bassett) and Merrily (No Nay Never). Joseph O'Brien re-opposes again with Cayton Park Stud's Oaks fourth Wemightakedlongway (Australia), with the other runners being Craig Bernick's Bay Colony (New Bay) from the Fozzy Stack stable and Newtown Anner...

A rematch between Minnie Hauk (Frankel) and Whirl (Wootton Bassett) in Saturday's G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks at the Curragh is unlikely, according to trainer Aidan O'Brien, who was responsible for six of the nine fillies left in the Classic on Tuesday. Just a neck separated the two stablemates when they met in the Oaks at Epsom, with Minnie Hauk edging ahead in the final strides to get the better of the gutsy Whirl, who has since gained a first Group 1 success of her own when seeing off her elders...

Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine Lake Victoria has been ruled out of the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot. Undefeated in five juvenile starts last season, including Group One wins in the Moyglare Stud Stakes, the Cheveley Park and at the Breeders' Cup, Aidan O'Brien's filly was beaten into sixth place in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket on her return to action but bounced back to her best in the Irish equivalent. The daughter of Frankel was expected to be a major part of the Ballydoyle handler's Ascot team next week, but...

EPSOM DOWNS, UK -- It is impossible to think of the Coolmore operation without the name Sangster coming to mind and, not for the first time, a member of the clan has been instrumental in aiding Coolmore to Classic glory. The imperious Minnie Hauk reeled in and eventually - but only just - overhauled her front-running stable-mate Whirl to give Ben Sangster his second winner of the Oaks as breeder after Dancing Rain struck at Epsom back in 2011. For good measure, he also bred last year's Coronation Cup winner...

For so long now we have been used to the Galileo factor at Epsom, and while none of his final small crop of 13 has made the line-up for the Derby or the Oaks, we still find his name all over the place on the pages of this year's runners, merely starting to shuffle back a bit in the generation game.  Galileo's sons Frankel, Australia and Circus Maximus each have at least one runner in the Derby, and Frankel and Australia also have Oaks runners. Eight of the 19 Derby...

Cheshire Oaks heroine Minnie Hauk (Frankel) is the likely mount of Ryan Moore in the Betfred Oaks, according to trainer Aidan O'Brien, with the Ballydoyle team also set to call upon the services of Wayne Lordan and Colin Keane on a busy Classic weekend at Epsom. Speaking on a call hosted by the Jockey Club on Tuesday, O'Brien echoed his recent comments about Delacroix (Dubawi) being the horse most likely to have the benefit of Moore's assistance in Saturday's Betfred Derby, before clarifying the picture somewhat with regards the Oaks,...