Irish Oaks Antepost Betting Analysis: Minnie Hauk Leads The Charge The Juddmonte Irish Oaks takes place on Saturday 19th July at the Curragh and could feature Epsom scorer Minnie Hauk and Royal Ascot heroine Cercene. Aidan O'Brien won the Epsom Oaks for the 11th time in his career when Minnie Hauk rallied strongly to hold off stablemate Whirl. Meanwhile, Joe Murphy is plotting a big campaign after seeing Cercene land the Coronation Stakes success at Royal Ascot later in June. Paddy Power Betting Offer If you already have a Paddy Power account, check out more of the best betting sites and online casinos Minnie Hauk the one to beat Minnie Hauk is the headline act on paper following her gutsy success last month at Epsom. The Frankel filly had to be extremely determined to get the better of Whirl on the Downs after they pulled clear of the remainder. Ryan Moore's mount edged the verdict by a neck and that form has been handsomely advertised since as the runner-up won the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh during the Irish Derby Festival. Minnie Hauk is 3-3 since finishing second-best in a mile maiden at Cork on debut last summer. She won the Cheshire Oaks at Chester in May on her seasonal return before landing the Oaks at Epsom. The Irish Oaks is on her radar next, while the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes at Ascot a week later remains as an alternate option. The Nassau Stakes at Glorious Goodwood, York's Juddmonte International and the Irish Champion Stakes are all possible stops heading towards the autumn before a potential Breeders' Cup adventure. Murphy's weighs up Cercene bid Trainer Joe Murphy is pondering where to go next with Cercene following her surprise Coronation Stakes success at Royal Ascot and supplementing the filly for the Irish Oaks is a possibility. Cercene was third behind Lake Victoria in the Irish 1000 Guineas in May and the Australia filly then finished powerfully under Gary Carroll to get the better of French Guineas heroine Zarigana at Royal Ascot, defying an SP of 33/1. She was underestimated by the bookmakers, but her trainer sensed a big effort was incoming. "If you go back and look at the Irish Guineas, she was the only filly that passed three horses over the last furlong," said Murphy "If they went another furlong, I'm not saying we'd beat the Ballydoyle filly (Lake Victoria), but we could have been second and there's no harm being second best to her." After electing not to head for Sandown for the Coral Eclipse, Murphy is pondering a step up in trip for the Irish Oaks next. "We're thinking of supplementing her for the Irish Oaks. We'll probably make an entry for the Nassau in Goodwood as well, but we have to figure out the timing," he added. "She has her Group 1, so if she doesn't stay I'll take the blame and we'll go back (in trip) and start the engine again." Desert Flower a possible raider Desert Flower won the Guineas at Newmarket in May before finishing in third spot at Epsom behind Minnie Hauk. Charlie Appleby's Godolphin filly missed Royal Ascot afterwards and has the Irish Oaks and the Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes as her option in the month of July. The Newmarket handler could consider the drop back to a mile on home turf on 11th July or a trip to the Curragh a week later. The Irish Oaks has gone the way of raiding trainers 10 times since 2009, with the likes of John Gosden, William Haggas and Ralph Beckett all scoring for the UK.
