Juddmonte Irish Oaks: guide and predicted finishing order

You must wind the clock back to 2002 to find the last shock winner of the Juddmonte Irish Oaks. 

Margarula, a 33-1 chance trained by Jim Bolger, prevailed that year, having been beaten in a handicap off a mark of 87 earlier in the campaign. She upstaged Quarter Moon, an odds-on shot trained by Aidan O’Brien who lined up with a rating 18lb superior to her conqueror. 

That will offer some hope, perhaps, for those tasked with taking on Minnie Hauk at The Curragh on Saturday, although maybe not much. 

She could go off an even shorter price than Snowfall, who obliged at 2-7 for O’Brien in 2021. She won by 8½ lengths and many will assume it will be a case of “how far” for the red-hot favourite. 

Here's a guide to all seven runners. The big race is off at 3.40pm, live on Racing TV. 

Official Rating: 85. Curragh form: 05. Odds: 100-1. 

Looks hopelessly out of her depth after trailing home well beaten in Listed company at Leopardstown last time. Wears first-time cheekpieces but could probably do with first-time binoculars to have any chance of seeing some of her rivals disappear into the distance. 

Official Rating: 83. Curragh form: --. Odds: 100-1. 

Looks one of the lesser lights at Ballydoyle, failing to make any impact in patter company on her past three starts. Maybe she will be employed as pacemaker, or just maybe O’Brien has never forgotten what happened in 2002. 

Official Rating: 96. Curragh form: 5. Odds: 33-1. 

She’s had her limits exposed in much lesser races than this one, and a clue to her role in this contest is surely in the fact that she’s made the running on her past two starts before being brushed aside. Expect Wayne Lordan to set an honest pace, to the main benefit of her stablemate, Minnie Hauk. The blinkers she’s worn for her past two starts are dispatched in favour of cheekpieces. 

Official Rating: 99. Curragh form: 5. Odds: 28-1. 

She showed useful form as a two-year-old, staying on stoutly to spring a 25-1 surprise in the Oh So Sharp Stakes at Newmarket in October. However, she would be better off being called Cheerlessly this year because the wheels seem to have come off. Trailed home last in the French 1000 Guineas, and then did the same in the French Oaks. 

Official Rating: 117. Curragh form: --. Odds: 1-4. 

It’s difficult to get away from the Frankel filly, for all that she got beaten by Wemightakedlongway when they clashed at Cork last year and did not have much to spare when beating Subsonic next time. She meets that pair again on Saturday. 

Minnie Hauk simply looked a different model when digging deep to beaty Whirl in the Oaks at Epsom last time, which was clearly a big step up on her earlier success in the Cheshire Oaks. 

Whirl franked the Epsom form when subsequently landing the Pretty Polly Stakes. 

Having had only four runs, Minnie Hauk is capable of better yet, with stamina clearly her strong suit. Her three stablemates should ensure this isn’t run at a dawdle. 

Official Rating: --. Curragh form: --. Odds: 25-1. 

She was a big eye-catcher over a mile on her Leopardstown debut in October when staying on well from off the pace to get within half a length of Minnie Hauk, who also had the benefit of a previous run. 

However, while Minnie Hauk has gone from strength to strength, whereas we’ve since seen Subsonic just once – when easy to back on her return in a 1m 2f maiden at Naas, in April, and fading to finish into mid-division. This looks hugely ambitious after that run, not least because her stamina is unproven. 

Official Rating: 111. Curragh form: 4. Odds: 5-1. 

Looks the one logical danger to Minnie Hauk, even though she finished five lengths behind her, with no excuses, in the Oaks at Epsom. 

The daughter of Australia backed up that effort when fourth in the Pretty Polly Stakes at The Curragh last time, hinting she would be suited by moving back up in trip. 

Delve back into her two-year-old form and you will find she beat Minnie Hauk when they clashed in a mile maiden at Cork in October. 

But that was then, this is now. Events at Epsom suggest she has her work cut out turning the tables, but if the favourite is not at her best for any reason, then she’s the obvious one to cash in. 

1 MINNIE HAUK. 2 WEMIGHTAKEDLONGWAY. 3 ISLAND HOPPING. 4 SUBSONIC. 5 BUTTERFLY WINGS. 6 MERRILY. 7 BAY COLONY.