Ben Linfoot unpicks the result of the Betfred Oaks as Minnie Hauk landed a one-two for Aidan O'Brien at Epsom.
Betfred Oaks, Epsom, June 6 2025
Full result and free video replay
- MINNIE HAUK 9/2
- Whirl 15/2
- Desert Flower 11/10 favourite
- Wemighttakedlongway
- Giselle
- Revoir
- Elwateen
- Qilin Queen
- Go Go Boots
ANALYSIS: Ballydoyle tactics perfect again
The story of the market was the strength of the 1000 Guineas winner, Desert Flower. With stamina to prove, she was sent off a very solid 11/10 favourite, but the story of the race was that we saw another Ballydoyle-dominated Classic as MINNIE HAUK just saw off the challenge of stablemate Whirl in a humdinger of a finish.
This was a 46th British Classic win for trainer Aidan O’Brien and a fifth Oaks success for jockey Ryan Moore, their domination extending at Epsom after a ding-dong exchange with Whirl for the same outfit, ridden by Wayne Lordan.
Whirl cut out the running on ground described as Good to Soft (Good in places) after brief morning rain, the weather dry in the main for Oaks day as nine fillies went to post.
As so often is the case in these big races the pace was controlled by Ballydoyle and Moore had the perfect sit just in the slipstream of Whirl, although William Buick would’ve been perfectly happy sat just off Minnie Hauk on Desert Flower, next to Wemightakedlongway in a disputed third as the race developed.
Those were the first four fillies throughout and at the finish - nothing got into things from off the pace - an indication that Whirl didn’t set a taxing gallop on the front end. Indeed, Aidan O'Brien stressed afterwards that Minnie Hauk ‘can chase a stronger gallop than that’ and the overall time was 2.8 seconds slower than the Coronation Cup, the final two furlongs 1.6 seconds slower, as well.
With Desert Flower caught out by the track she ran well in third, but she was four lengths adrift of the front pair and while Charlie Appleby is yet to be convinced she failed for lack of stamina it would be no surprise to see her over 10 furlongs next time.
That could be an option for Whirl, too, who deserves praise for the way she fought on to run Minnie Hauk a neck, the winner an out-and-out mile and a half filly with races like the Yorkshire Oaks and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe possibly on her agenda as summer turns into autumn.
Whether she’s an Arc filly remains to be seen, but she has laid the platform for a tilt at such races after improving plenty from her reappearance at Chester where she won the Cheshire Oaks despite needing the race quite drastically.
By Frankel out of Multilingual, she has a Juddmonte pedigree through and through and was a €1,850,000 purchase at the Book 1 Goffs Orby sale by Coolmore.
She’s the third Frankel that O’Brien has trained to win a Group 1 after Ylang Ylang and Lake Victoria and this was the stallion’s fourth Epsom Classic victory after the Oaks wins for Anapurna and Soul Sister, and Adayar’s Derby.
Lightly-raced pair worth another chance
Wemightakedlongway hung in there for a long way, looking booked for third at one point before Desert Flower rallied late, but she too benefitted from sitting in a good position throughout.
Of the rest, Giselle settled okay for Colin Keane but was still a bit fizzy in the early stages. She had few excuses but the race wasn’t really run to suit her, nor Revoir who was held up in the rear and looked like mounting a late challenge down the outside only for it not to materialise.
She’ll be worth another chance when the emphasis is more on stamina, either via softer ground or a stronger pace, this just the third run of her career.
Elwateen was another who looked all set to mount a challenge at the top of the straight after racing in mid-division, but she appeared ill at ease on the camber and was given an easy time of things once her chance had gone. Again, she’s light on experience and isn’t one to give up on just yet.
More from Sporting Life
- Racecards
- Fast results
- Full results and free video replays
- Horse racing news
- Horse racing tips
- Horse racing features
- our free iOS and Android app
- Football and other sports tips
- Podcasts and video content
Safer gambling
We are committed in our of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Further and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.
