Latest news with #Wemightakedlongway
South Wales Argus
9 hours ago
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
Smart targets in the pipeline for Wemightakedlongway
The daughter of Australia was fourth to Minnie Hauk in the Epsom equivalent in June before not being disgraced when dropping back to 10 furlongs and filling the same spot in the Curragh's Pretty Polly Stakes next time. She justified her position as chief market danger to Minnie Hauk when closing the gap on the dual Classic winner in her second taste of Classic action and after her brave performance in defeat, Wemightakedlongway's trainer is now lining up some exciting options for later in the season. Wemightakedlongway pushed Minnie Hauk all the way at the Curragh (Niall Carson/PA) 'I was very proud of her run and there is no shame getting beat a length by Minnie Hauk,' said O'Brien. 'We can look at some nice fillies races with her in the autumn now and there's a good chance she might turn up in something like the Prix Vermeille or Prix de l'Opera.' O'Brien may have had to settle for second with Wemightakedlongway, but was thrilled to see Al Riffa – who is now somewhat a stable stalwart – excel in his first try at a mile and six. A dual Group One winner, he built on his fine Royal Ascot second to Rebel's Romance to romp to an impressive five-length success in the Curragh Cup and the Owning Hill handler has earmarked the Comer Group International Irish St. Leger over the same track and trip as the perfect spot to seek further top honours. Al Riffa has long been a star performer for Joseph O'Brien (Niall Carson/PA) 'He's a great horse who put up a real good showing in the Curragh Cup over a new distance for him,' added O'Brien. 'He seemed to cope with the trip well and the Irish St Leger is an obvious target for him now, but we have the option of popping back to Germany or something between now and then, so we'll see how he pulls up and make a plan from there. 'He was second in the Eclipse last year and has a high level of form at a mile and a half and now he can go a mile and six as well it just opens up more options. Really, trying to win another Group One and earn some good prize-money will be our objective before the end of the year.'
Glasgow Times
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Glasgow Times
Smart targets in the pipeline for Wemightakedlongway
The daughter of Australia was fourth to Minnie Hauk in the Epsom equivalent in June before not being disgraced when dropping back to 10 furlongs and filling the same spot in the Curragh's Pretty Polly Stakes next time. She justified her position as chief market danger to Minnie Hauk when closing the gap on the dual Classic winner in her second taste of Classic action and after her brave performance in defeat, Wemightakedlongway's trainer is now lining up some exciting options for later in the season. Wemightakedlongway pushed Minnie Hauk all the way at the Curragh (Niall Carson/PA) 'I was very proud of her run and there is no shame getting beat a length by Minnie Hauk,' said O'Brien. 'We can look at some nice fillies races with her in the autumn now and there's a good chance she might turn up in something like the Prix Vermeille or Prix de l'Opera.' O'Brien may have had to settle for second with Wemightakedlongway, but was thrilled to see Al Riffa – who is now somewhat a stable stalwart – excel in his first try at a mile and six. A dual Group One winner, he built on his fine Royal Ascot second to Rebel's Romance to romp to an impressive five-length success in the Curragh Cup and the Owning Hill handler has earmarked the Comer Group International Irish St. Leger over the same track and trip as the perfect spot to seek further top honours. Al Riffa has long been a star performer for Joseph O'Brien (Niall Carson/PA) 'He's a great horse who put up a real good showing in the Curragh Cup over a new distance for him,' added O'Brien. 'He seemed to cope with the trip well and the Irish St Leger is an obvious target for him now, but we have the option of popping back to Germany or something between now and then, so we'll see how he pulls up and make a plan from there. 'He was second in the Eclipse last year and has a high level of form at a mile and a half and now he can go a mile and six as well it just opens up more options. Really, trying to win another Group One and earn some good prize-money will be our objective before the end of the year.'
The Herald Scotland
10 hours ago
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Smart targets in the pipeline for Wemightakedlongway
She justified her position as chief market danger to Minnie Hauk when closing the gap on the dual Classic winner in her second taste of Classic action and after her brave performance in defeat, Wemightakedlongway's trainer is now lining up some exciting options for later in the season. Wemightakedlongway pushed Minnie Hauk all the way at the Curragh (Niall Carson/PA) 'I was very proud of her run and there is no shame getting beat a length by Minnie Hauk,' said O'Brien. 'We can look at some nice fillies races with her in the autumn now and there's a good chance she might turn up in something like the Prix Vermeille or Prix de l'Opera.' O'Brien may have had to settle for second with Wemightakedlongway, but was thrilled to see Al Riffa – who is now somewhat a stable stalwart – excel in his first try at a mile and six. A dual Group One winner, he built on his fine Royal Ascot second to Rebel's Romance to romp to an impressive five-length success in the Curragh Cup and the Owning Hill handler has earmarked the Comer Group International Irish St. Leger over the same track and trip as the perfect spot to seek further top honours. Al Riffa has long been a star performer for Joseph O'Brien (Niall Carson/PA) 'He's a great horse who put up a real good showing in the Curragh Cup over a new distance for him,' added O'Brien. 'He seemed to cope with the trip well and the Irish St Leger is an obvious target for him now, but we have the option of popping back to Germany or something between now and then, so we'll see how he pulls up and make a plan from there. 'He was second in the Eclipse last year and has a high level of form at a mile and a half and now he can go a mile and six as well it just opens up more options. Really, trying to win another Group One and earn some good prize-money will be our objective before the end of the year.'
North Wales Chronicle
5 days ago
- Sport
- North Wales Chronicle
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 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).'
Rhyl Journal
5 days ago
- Sport
- Rhyl Journal
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 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).'
