Irish Oaks Analysis: Can Anybody Challenge Minnie Hauk?

The Irish Oaks takes centre stage this weekend and trainer Aidan O'Brien has kept alive the prospect of a rematch from Epsom with Minnie Hauk and Whirl amongst the nine that were confirmed at the preliminary entry stage for the Curragh Classic.

The Ballydoyle supremo is targeting an eighth win in the Irish Oaks and is responsible for six of the nine possible runners, with Fozzy Stack, Joseph O'Brien and Johnny Murtagh accounting for only possible resistance.

Here's our look at the remaining contenders for Saturday's race at the Curragh.

Paddy Power Betting Offer

3.401m. 4f. 7 Declared.
Juddmonte Irish Oaks (Group 1) of €500,000.00 3-y-o

• Formscan
• Race Info
• Conditions

1st - €290,000.00 2nd - €100,000.00 3rd - €50,000.00 4th - €25,000.00 5th - €15,000.00 6th - €10,000.00 7th - €5,000.00 Going - Good, good to yielding in places. Overcast

Formscan By John O'Riordan- Epsom Oaks winner MINNIE HAUK can double up for trainer Aidan O'Brien. Given that the front two pulled four lengths clear of the remainder, the absence of neck runner-up Whirl appears to have simplified the task for her stablemate. Despite the presence of four Ballydoyle fillies in the race, the daughter of Frankel is very much the one to beat. Fourth behind Minnie Hauk last month, Wemightakedlongway failed to build on that effort when occupying the same position in the Pretty Polly. Beaten just a half a length by the selection on debut, Subsonic disappointed on her seasonal reappearance at Naas in April. Having had excuses for that, the Johnny Murtagh-trained filly could be the dark horse.

For three years old fillies only
Weights - 9st 2lbs

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  Odds Shortening Odds Lengthening

51	1st	Minnie Hauk		2/11
73	2nd	Wemightakedlongway	6/1 9/2	7/2
37	3rd	Island Hopping	50/1 25/1	20/1
66	6th	Subsonic	16/1 25/1	33/1
42	5th	Merrily	25/1 50/1	50/1
24	4th	Butterfly Wings		66/1
15	7th	Bay Colony		125/1
Betting Percentage				119%
Each-Way Terms				2 1/4

 

5¹

Minnie Hauk 4

2/11

1st

Rating: 117

• Odds

Price

E/W

Moves

2/11

2 1/4

7³

Wemightakedlongway 4

7/2

2nd

Rating: 111

• Odds

Price

E/W

Moves

7/2

2 1/4

3⁷

Island Hopping 4

20/1

3rd

Rating: 96

• Odds

Price

E/W

Moves

20/1

2 1/4

50/1 25/1 15:26

6⁶

Subsonic 4

33/1

6th

• Odds

Price

E/W

Moves

33/1

2 1/4

4²

Merrily 4

50/1

5th

Rating: 99

• Odds

Price

E/W

Moves

50/1

2 1/4

2⁴

Butterfly Wings 4

66/1

4th

Rating: 83

• Odds

Price

E/W

Moves

66/1

2 1/4

1⁵

Bay Colony 4

125/1

7th

Rating: 85

• Odds

Price

E/W

Moves

125/1

2 1/4

Bay Colony (Fozzy Stack)

The New Bay filly won a heavy-ground maiden at Limerick in April to open her account at the fifth time of asking, but has since been readily brushed aside in a Listed contest at Leopardstown. She appears to be tilting at windmills.

Bedtime Story (Aidan O'Brien)

Frankel filly won her first four starts last year but is 0-4 since, albeit kept exclusively to Group 1 company. Possibly ran a career-best when denied a length in second behind Gezora in the Prix de Diane at Longchamp last time, her first run beyond the mile. Interesting now up in trip again.

Butterfly Wings (Aidan O'Brien)

A daughter of Justify, she won her maiden at Leopardstown over 1m2f in May (fourth start), but has since toiled in a trio of Listed/Group 3 events over a variety of trips. Much more needed here.

Island Hopping (Aidan O'Brien)

Ballydoyle-trained daughter of Wootton Bassett has just one win from seven attempts, a mile maiden at Gowran Park last year. She hasn't exactly looked progressive in four runs this season.

Merrily (Aidan O'Brien)

Another of the Ballydoyle sextet and another sire, No Nay Never, in the mix. She ended last season winning the Oh So Sharp Stakes at Newmarket, a Group 3 over 7f, but this season has so far witnessed heavy defeats at home and in France (twice) and there is a big improvement required when upped in trip here.

Minnie Hauk (Aidan O'Brien)

The Epsom Oaks winner, she has only been beaten once in four career starts and backed up her Cheshire Oaks success by gamely getting on top of stablemate Whirl in that Classic, with the pair clear of everything else.

Subsonic (Johnny Murtagh)

Lope De Vega filly has the least experience of the remaining contenders. She was a half-length second on debut behind Minnie Hauk at Leopardstown (1m, soft) in October, but disappointed on return in April when only sixth in a Naas maiden over 1m2½f.

Wemightakedlongway (Joseph O'Brien)

Daughter of the dual Derby winner Australia, she helped herself to a Group 3 win at Navan over 1m2f on soft ground in April, but has been well held in races won by Minnie Hauk (Epsom Oaks) and Whirl (Pretty Polly Stakes) since. Will have to take things up a notch.

Whirl (Aidan O'Brien)

This daughter of Wootton Bassett readily won the Middleton at York in May and just came off second-best after a sustained duel with Minnie Haul at Epsom. She has since bagged the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh over 1m2f and is a big contender on form.