Thu, 21 Aug 2025
Minnie Hauk (8/15f) made it four wins from four starts in 2025 to land a ninth Yorkshire Oaks for trainer Aidan O'Brien in a dominant display.
The exciting Frankel filly appeared to have a stiffer test on her hands than when easily beating a sub-par field in the Irish Oaks last month – though she was still expected to get the business done against three rivals on the Knavesmire.
Held up by Ryan Moore, she started making serene progress past her rivals three furlongs out and was ahead by the two pole, running out an eventual three-and-a-half length winner.
Master handler O'Brien was delighted with the outing and talked up the Breeders Cup as a potential next destination – despite bookmakers cutting her into 8/1 (from 12/1 pre-race) for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
He said: "She's classy and he gave her a classy, confident ride. It was never going to be a micky-mouse race. They were always going to go an even gallop without going crazy.
"Ryan [Moore] mentioned the Arc for Whirl and maybe the Breeders' Cup for this filly, depending on ground.
"Whirl, as we obviously saw at Goodwood, handles soft ground, but she handles the other ground as well. This one is a beautiful mover but she has won on soft ground.
"We always thought the quicker the ground the better she was going to be, and she skipped over that today.
"The lads will decide what they want to do – we'll leave her to come out of the race – but she has a lot of options. We've always felt the better the race, the better she's going to be."
Earlier in the afternoon, William Haggas landed a touch as Bullet Point (15/8f) timed a late run perfectly to land the Clipper Handicap.
Tom Marquand had to stay patient on the winner before pouncing through a gap to burst clear of runner-up Cerulean Bay by a length.
Bullet Point also holds an entry for Saturday's Strensall Stakes – a Group 3 card opener at the same venue – which Haggas says is a live possibility ahead of a trip Down Under.
Haggas said: "The plan was always to look at doing both and we'll see how he is on Saturday morning.
"He's going to Australia to run in a nine-furlong race, so we might try him over nine at the weekend before he goes into quarantine."
Ladbrokes are currently a standout 6/1 on Bullet Point to complete a memorable double this weekend.
Matt Hill is Odds Now's Head of Content and leads our digital operation, while also offering his insight as a tipster across darts and football.
Having worked in the industry for the best part of a decade, including extended stints with Betfred and LiveScore, Matt joined the project in May 2024 with the sole aim of making Odds Now a key player in the betting content space.
He has also forged a reputation as a respected darts tipster, landing numerous three-figure outright winners over the years, while his love for lower league football also helps him pick out the odd obscure winner in that space.
When not at the editorial desk, Matt enjoys travelling the country supporting his beloved Carlisle United FC, chucking a few arrows and spending time with his young family.
Matt Hill is Odds Now's Head of Content and leads our digital operation, while also offering his insight as a tipster across darts and football.
Having worked in the industry for the best part of a decade, including extended stints with Betfred and LiveScore, Matt joined the project in May 2024 with the sole aim of making Odds Now a key player in the betting content space.
He has also forged a reputation as a respected darts tipster, landing numerous three-figure outright winners over the years, while his love for lower league football also helps him pick out the odd obscure winner in that space.
When not at the editorial desk, Matt enjoys travelling the country supporting his beloved Carlisle United FC, chucking a few arrows and spending time with his young family.
Matt's p/l
7 Days
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Year 2025