Frankel filly Minnie Hauk made giant strides for Ballydoyle last season and is reportedly in fine fettle as she looks to set the standard for Aidan O’Brien’s older horses this campaign. Having won what turned out to be a moderate Cheshire Oaks, she produced a strong performance to take the Epsom Oaks from stablemate Whirl.
She completed an Oaks hat trick having won at the Curragh and York, before finishing second in the Arc. She’s bred to improve with age, and all roads may lead back to going one better in the prestigious Arc.
Speaking at an HRI press morning, via Sporting Life, Aidan O’Brien expressed “no doubt” that she is stronger this year. “She’s twice as wide and is in great order. We’re not rushing her but everything she’s doing is lovely. Minnie Hauk could go for the Mooresbridge Stakes on the way to the Tattersalls Gold Cup. Then she could go to Ascot for the Prince of Wales. She might be the one that we think might suit it the most. She’ll have the Coronation Cup as a possible option.”
When asked whether all roads leads back to the Arc, O’Brien said “I think so. Maybe with the benefit of hindsight I should have finished her after the Arc last year. She was only a three-year-old filly, but she ran a great race. There are other three-year-olds coming on this year so it’s going to depend on how they fare.
Twain making up for lost time
Wootton Bassett Colt Twain hasn’t been seen since going two-from-two when winning the Criterium de Saint-Cloud. Despite missing all of last season, he is supposedly on track for a return.
“Twain I couldn’t get right last year” remarked O’Brien. “All little niggly things, and that was probably the biggest disappointment of all last year – that we didn’t get him out. But everything is going well so far. “We’re thinking of the Lockinge at Newbury, with a run before it. I’d say he’s a miler, he’s not slow. Maybe he’ll get further with that pedigree but I’d say he’s a miler.”
Goodwood Cup and St Leger winner Scandinavia is likely to start off in the Saval Beg at Navan. “He’s a big, long-striding horse and we’re very happy with everything he’s doing,” noted O’Brien.
Jan Brueghel was seen just once after beaten Calandagan in the Coronation Cup, but he’s likely to go back there. “He’d have a run before that,” said O’Brien. “The Coronation has a different look to it this year, it has a lot of prize money, so that’s what we’re thinking.”