Latest news with #Vermeille
ITV News
4 days ago
- Sport
- ITV News
Minnie Hauk makes it a Classic double with battling Curragh victory
The Frankel filly got the better of stablemate and subsequent Pretty Polly Stakes winner Whirl when landing the Oaks at Epsom in early June and was a prohibitively-priced 2-11 favourite to follow up against six rivals in the Irish equivalent. Settled in third for much of the mile-and-a-half contest, with fellow Aidan O'Brien-trained runner Island Hopping deployed in a pacesetting role and Oaks and Pretty Polly fourth Wemightakedlongway splitting the pair in second, Minnie Hauk was under pressure to close the gap with two furlongs to go. Joseph O'Brien's Wemightakedlongway proved a willing adversary, but the red-hot favourite eventually took her measure and passed the post a length and a quarter in front under Ryan Moore to give O'Brien his eighth Irish Oaks success. We thought we'd be sitting second and Dylan (Browne McMonagle, on Wemightakedlongway) got the second position, so Ryan had to make a decision, he was either going to sit second on Dylan's inside, in behind Wayne (Lordan, on Island Hopping), or pull back out of it in a way that he wouldn't have been boxed in,' said the Ballydoyle handler. 'Obviously that's a decision Ryan had to make quickly and it was the right decision. It wasn't over-fast. We knew Joseph's filly was a good filly and Dylan gave her a very good ride. 'She (Minnie Hauk) is one of those fillies that you're probably never going to see the best of until the tempo is very strong and very high. She cruises through her races.' Minnie Hauk is the 2-1 market leader for next month's Yorkshire Oaks with Paddy Power, who also make her the 10-1 joint-favourite for the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. O'Brien added: 'The boss (John Magnier) asked Ryan where to go with her and he said to go to the Yorkshire Oaks. The boss said, 'what about if we give her a break and train her for the Vermeille and give her a French Arc prep?'. 'All those things are open and we'll see how she is. I think she can do either of those things, but if she's going to the French trial she'd have to have a couple of easy weeks. Obviously if she's going to York, she wouldn't have those couple of easy weeks. 'She had a very easy race today, I'd say. The tempo wasn't very strong so she should come out of it well. I'd imagine in the next week or so we'll have a fair idea, but they are her two options. 'Looking at her she'd probably love York. She has a big stride and it's a Flat track, too. Obviously the boss will decide with Derrick (Smith) and Michael (Tabor).'
Glasgow Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- Glasgow Times
Minnie Hauk makes it a Classic double with battling Curragh victory
The Frankel filly got the better of stablemate and subsequent Pretty Polly Stakes winner Whirl when landing the Oaks at Epsom in early June and was a prohibitively-priced 2-11 favourite to follow up against six rivals in the Irish equivalent. Settled in third for much of the mile-and-a-half contest, with fellow Aidan O'Brien-trained runner Island Hopping deployed in a pacesetting role and Oaks and Pretty Polly fourth Wemightakedlongway splitting the pair in second, Minnie Hauk was under pressure to close the gap with two furlongs to go. MINNIE HAUK WINS THE JUDDMONTE IRISH OAKS! 🏆 An English and Irish Oaks double!#ITVRacing |@curraghrace — ITV Racing (@itvracing) July 19, 2025 Joseph O'Brien's Wemightakedlongway proved a willing adversary, but the red-hot favourite eventually took her measure and passed the post a length and a quarter in front under Ryan Moore to give O'Brien his eighth Irish Oaks success. 'We thought we'd be sitting second and Dylan (Browne McMonagle, on Wemightakedlongway) got the second position, so Ryan had to make a decision, he was either going to sit second on Dylan's inside, in behind Wayne (Lordan, on Island Hopping), or pull back out of it in a way that he wouldn't have been boxed in,' said the Ballydoyle handler. 'Obviously that's a decision Ryan had to make quickly and it was the right decision. It wasn't over-fast. We knew Joseph's filly was a good filly and Dylan gave her a very good ride. 'She (Minnie Hauk) is one of those fillies that you're probably never going to see the best of until the tempo is very strong and very high. She cruises through her races.' Minnie Hauk with jockey Ryan Moore after winning the Irish Oaks (Niall Carson/PA) Minnie Hauk is the 2-1 market leader for next month's Yorkshire Oaks with Paddy Power, who also make her the 10-1 joint-favourite for the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. O'Brien added: 'The boss (John Magnier) asked Ryan where to go with her and he said to go to the Yorkshire Oaks. The boss said, 'what about if we give her a break and train her for the Vermeille and give her a French Arc prep?'. 'All those things are open and we'll see how she is. I think she can do either of those things, but if she's going to the French trial she'd have to have a couple of easy weeks. Obviously if she's going to York, she wouldn't have those couple of easy weeks. 'She had a very easy race today, I'd say. The tempo wasn't very strong so she should come out of it well. I'd imagine in the next week or so we'll have a fair idea, but they are her two options. 'Looking at her she'd probably love York. She has a big stride and it's a Flat track, too. Obviously the boss will decide with Derrick (Smith) and Michael (Tabor).'
The Herald Scotland
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Minnie Hauk makes it a Classic double with battling Curragh victory
Settled in third for much of the mile-and-a-half contest, with fellow Aidan O'Brien-trained runner Island Hopping deployed in a pacesetting role and Oaks and Pretty Polly fourth Wemightakedlongway splitting the pair in second, Minnie Hauk was under pressure to close the gap with two furlongs to go. MINNIE HAUK WINS THE JUDDMONTE IRISH OAKS! 🏆 An English and Irish Oaks double!#ITVRacing |@curraghrace — ITV Racing (@itvracing) July 19, 2025 Joseph O'Brien's Wemightakedlongway proved a willing adversary, but the red-hot favourite eventually took her measure and passed the post a length and a quarter in front under Ryan Moore to give O'Brien his eighth Irish Oaks success. 'We thought we'd be sitting second and Dylan (Browne McMonagle, on Wemightakedlongway) got the second position, so Ryan had to make a decision, he was either going to sit second on Dylan's inside, in behind Wayne (Lordan, on Island Hopping), or pull back out of it in a way that he wouldn't have been boxed in,' said the Ballydoyle handler. 'Obviously that's a decision Ryan had to make quickly and it was the right decision. It wasn't over-fast. We knew Joseph's filly was a good filly and Dylan gave her a very good ride. 'She (Minnie Hauk) is one of those fillies that you're probably never going to see the best of until the tempo is very strong and very high. She cruises through her races.' Minnie Hauk with jockey Ryan Moore after winning the Irish Oaks (Niall Carson/PA) Minnie Hauk is the 2-1 market leader for next month's Yorkshire Oaks with Paddy Power, who also make her the 10-1 joint-favourite for the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. O'Brien added: 'The boss (John Magnier) asked Ryan where to go with her and he said to go to the Yorkshire Oaks. The boss said, 'what about if we give her a break and train her for the Vermeille and give her a French Arc prep?'. 'All those things are open and we'll see how she is. I think she can do either of those things, but if she's going to the French trial she'd have to have a couple of easy weeks. Obviously if she's going to York, she wouldn't have those couple of easy weeks. 'She had a very easy race today, I'd say. The tempo wasn't very strong so she should come out of it well. I'd imagine in the next week or so we'll have a fair idea, but they are her two options. 'Looking at her she'd probably love York. She has a big stride and it's a Flat track, too. Obviously the boss will decide with Derrick (Smith) and Michael (Tabor).'
North Wales Chronicle
15-06-2025
- Sport
- North Wales Chronicle
Gezora takes Prix de Diane honours at Chantilly from Bedtime Story
Trained by Francis-Henri Graffard and ridden by Christophe Soumillon, Gezora raced in the pack through the 10-furlong contest before switched out to launch her challenge with around a furlong and a half to run. She kept finding for pressure all the way to the line, having enough in reserve to hold off the Aidan O'Brien-trained Bedtime Story, who only narrowly failed to come from last to first under Ryan Moore. The Charlie Fellowes-trained Shes Perfect turned for home and momentarily looked she would again be involved at the business end, but while she was in front with two furlongs to run, she had raced keenly in second and was ultimately eased by Kieran Shoemark when her chance had gone. Gezora was beaten by stablemate Mandanaba on her initial start in April, but the Almanzor filly landed the Prix Saint-Alary last time – a performance which gave Graffard plenty of confidence. He said: 'She ran a nice race at Longchamp, she showed something new to me. She's improving all time and I saw after the race she really improved again, she was so happy, so confident in herself.' Bookmaker reaction was positive to a Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe bid, with Coral introducing Gezora at 14-1, and Graffard added: 'It's great to have the Arc 'win and you're in races' and we know she loves the soft ground and we close no doors.' Soumillon praised the winner's heart for a battle, saying: 'When they started to quicken in the straight I was following them really easily, I knew she'd be able to change gear and that's exactly what she did. The pace was on and she was ready to react at the right time. 'I saw Ryan coming on my outside and thought 'here comes Aidan again!', but she had a great heart and we won it.' Asked about the Arc, the rider said: 'She can do a mile and a half, I think, we'll see what she can do in the Vermeille. We know she likes soft ground and the form from the Prix de Conde (last year) was great, the winner (Lazy Griff) was second in the Derby at Epsom and here (she is) the winner of the Prix de Diane, so sometimes you never know.' For owner Peter Brant, the victory in his White Birch Farm colours was the realisation of a long-held ambition to win the French fillies' Classic. Brant purchased Gezora after she won two of her four juvenile starts and was thrilled to see her better Sistercharlie, who was beaten just a length in the 2017 renewal before going on to a stellar American career. He said: 'I think it's probably one of the three or four races I've dreamt of winning. I think it's the greatest three-year-old filly race – it's always stiff competition. 'We were second with Sistercharlie, a great filly who won seven Grade Ones and she couldn't even win this race because she got into trouble. It's a very difficult race to predict.' O'Brien said of the runner-up: 'We're delighted with Bedtime Story's performance. She ran a magnificent race. Her improvement is clear. I've consistently run her in good races, and she's now showing her true form. 'This result, over this distance, opens a lot of doors. I'm not sure yet what we'll do next. We need to see how she comes out of it.' Meanwhile, Fellowes will now drop back in distance with Shes Perfect, who finished ninth, and could also dip in class in search of what would a deserved Group-race win. He said: 'I think it's clear she just didn't really stay. I always thought 10 furlongs would be in her range, but then she did a really sparkling piece of work earlier in the week and I thought maybe she had more speed than I gave her credit for. 'She won a Pouliches so we have a very, very good filly, it was the right thing to roll the dice here over 10 furlongs and we have learned a lot. 'The Falmouth would be the obvious race for her, but we might even think about dropping back in grade to try to get her head in front, give her a bit of a confidence boost and get that stakes win. 'I have a slight niggle in the back of my head that she might prefer a bit of ease underfoot, even though she ran so well in the Pouliches, maybe she was just saving herself a bit today as I walked the course and it was fast enough. 'If it turned up quick for her next run, I wouldn't shy away, but I think we'll let the dust settle a bit before making a firm plan.'
Rhyl Journal
15-06-2025
- Sport
- Rhyl Journal
Gezora takes Prix de Diane honours at Chantilly from Bedtime Story
Trained by Francis-Henri Graffard and ridden by Christophe Soumillon, Gezora raced in the pack through the 10-furlong contest before switched out to launch her challenge with around a furlong and a half to run. She kept finding for pressure all the way to the line, having enough in reserve to hold off the Aidan O'Brien-trained Bedtime Story, who only narrowly failed to come from last to first under Ryan Moore. The Charlie Fellowes-trained Shes Perfect turned for home and momentarily looked she would again be involved at the business end, but while she was in front with two furlongs to run, she had raced keenly in second and was ultimately eased by Kieran Shoemark when her chance had gone. Gezora was beaten by stablemate Mandanaba on her initial start in April, but the Almanzor filly landed the Prix Saint-Alary last time – a performance which gave Graffard plenty of confidence. He said: 'She ran a nice race at Longchamp, she showed something new to me. She's improving all time and I saw after the race she really improved again, she was so happy, so confident in herself.' Bookmaker reaction was positive to a Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe bid, with Coral introducing Gezora at 14-1, and Graffard added: 'It's great to have the Arc 'win and you're in races' and we know she loves the soft ground and we close no doors.' Soumillon praised the winner's heart for a battle, saying: 'When they started to quicken in the straight I was following them really easily, I knew she'd be able to change gear and that's exactly what she did. The pace was on and she was ready to react at the right time. 'I saw Ryan coming on my outside and thought 'here comes Aidan again!', but she had a great heart and we won it.' Asked about the Arc, the rider said: 'She can do a mile and a half, I think, we'll see what she can do in the Vermeille. We know she likes soft ground and the form from the Prix de Conde (last year) was great, the winner (Lazy Griff) was second in the Derby at Epsom and here (she is) the winner of the Prix de Diane, so sometimes you never know.' For owner Peter Brant, the victory in his White Birch Farm colours was the realisation of a long-held ambition to win the French fillies' Classic. Brant purchased Gezora after she won two of her four juvenile starts and was thrilled to see her better Sistercharlie, who was beaten just a length in the 2017 renewal before going on to a stellar American career. He said: 'I think it's probably one of the three or four races I've dreamt of winning. I think it's the greatest three-year-old filly race – it's always stiff competition. 'We were second with Sistercharlie, a great filly who won seven Grade Ones and she couldn't even win this race because she got into trouble. It's a very difficult race to predict.' O'Brien said of the runner-up: 'We're delighted with Bedtime Story's performance. She ran a magnificent race. Her improvement is clear. I've consistently run her in good races, and she's now showing her true form. 'This result, over this distance, opens a lot of doors. I'm not sure yet what we'll do next. We need to see how she comes out of it.' Meanwhile, Fellowes will now drop back in distance with Shes Perfect, who finished ninth, and could also dip in class in search of what would a deserved Group-race win. He said: 'I think it's clear she just didn't really stay. I always thought 10 furlongs would be in her range, but then she did a really sparkling piece of work earlier in the week and I thought maybe she had more speed than I gave her credit for. 'She won a Pouliches so we have a very, very good filly, it was the right thing to roll the dice here over 10 furlongs and we have learned a lot. 'The Falmouth would be the obvious race for her, but we might even think about dropping back in grade to try to get her head in front, give her a bit of a confidence boost and get that stakes win. 'I have a slight niggle in the back of my head that she might prefer a bit of ease underfoot, even though she ran so well in the Pouliches, maybe she was just saving herself a bit today as I walked the course and it was fast enough. 'If it turned up quick for her next run, I wouldn't shy away, but I think we'll let the dust settle a bit before making a firm plan.'
