Frankel's Minnie Hauk completes Oaks double

Minnie Hauk ran out an authoritative winner of the Gr.1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks on Saturday, completing the English/Irish Oaks double.

Taken from the European Bloodstock News, 20th July 2025:

Minnie Hauk (Frankel) provided Aidan O’Brien with a record-extending eighth win in the Curragh Classic and becomes the first filly to complete the English/Irish Oaks double since the same trainer’s Snowfall (Deep Impact) in 2021.

Sent off as the 2/11 favourite in a field of seven, she broke smartly from the inside stall under Ryan Moore and was just about in front in the early strides, though she soon settled in third behind stable companion Island Hopping and Wemightakedlongway, who had finished fourth in the Gr.1 Oaks at Epsom. There was little change in the order as they began to make the swing into the home straight, but Moore suddenly had to get serious aboard Minnie Hauk as Wemightakedlongway made smooth progress to lead at the two-furlong pole. For a fleeting moment it looked as though the favourite might be in trouble, but she hit full stride to collar Wemightakedlongway just under a furlong from home, eventually lengthening clear to win by a length and a quarter.

The winning trainer said: “We thought we’d be sitting second, but Dylan [Browne McMonagle] got the second position, so Ryan had to make a decision; he was either going to sit second on Dylan inside, in behind Wayne [Lordan], or pull back out of it in a way that he wouldn’t have been boxed in. Obviously that’s a decision Ryan had to make quickly and it was the right decision. It wasn’t over-fast. We knew Joseph’s filly was a good filly and Dylan gave her a very good ride. Ryan was very happy. He was out, so he could go whenever he wanted. You couldn’t be happier. She’s one of those fillies that you’re probably never going to see the best of her until the tempo is very strong and very high. She cruises through her races.”

Asked about possible future targets, he added: “The boss (John Magnier) asked Ryan where to go with her and he said to go to the Yorkshire Oaks. The boss said ‘what about if we give her a break and train her for the Vermeille and give her a French Arc prep?’ All those things are open and we’ll see how she is.”

Bred by Ben Sangster and purchased for €1,850,000 by M V Magnier from Camas Park Stud at Book 1 of the Goffs Orby Sale, Minnie Hauk hails from a family steeped in Juddmonte blood. She is a half-sister to the Gr.2 Summer Mile Stakes winner and Gr.1-placed sire Tilsit (First Defence), out of the lightly-raced Dansili mare Multilingual, a half-sister to the brilliant four-time Gr.1 winner and sire Kingman. They are out of the Gr.1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches winner Zenda (Zamindar), while the third dam Hope (Dancing Brave) is a full-sister to the 1993 Irish Oaks winner and successful broodmare Wemyss Bight.