O’Brien’s Minnie Hauk completes Oaks double
THE CURRAGH, Ireland (AFP) — Epsom Oaks heroine Minnie Hauk made jockey Ryan Moore earn his pay as she battled to hard-fought success in the Irish Oaks at the Curragh on Saturday.
At cramped odds of 2/11, the Aidan O’Brien-trained filly was one of the shortest priced favourites to land a European classic.
But punters taking that prohibitive price would have been slightly concerned watching Moore get to work on Minne Hauk to overhaul
Wemightakedlongway, trained by O’Brien’s son Joseph, down the straight.
But the daughter of Frankel is nothing if not brave, and responded to Moore’s encouragement from the saddle to cross the line one and a quarter lengths in front.
For Aidan O’Brien this was an eighth win in the Irish Oaks, with Minnie Hauk becoming his third filly to complete the Oaks double.
She was emulating stablemate Lambourn who followed up his Epsom Derby win with success in the Irish equivalent last month.
