Minnie Hauk stands tall for O’Brien and Moore at Epsom

Minnie Hauk

just got the better of stablemate Whirl as Aidan O’Brien again dominated the Betfred at Epsom.

Desert Flower, the short-priced favourite and 1000 Guineas winner, was one of the first under pressure before stamina became an issue, although to her credit she stayed on bravely to finish third.

Up front it was the Ballydoyle pair that pulled a long way clear, but it took all of the final furlong for Ryan Moore’s mount to get on top of long-time leader Whirl, with the 9-2 chance eventually winning by a neck.

O'Brien said: "I've been delighted with this filly, she's got a great team around her and I'm so grateful to everybody.

"She's a very classy filly. She was just ready to run at Chester, she barely made it, but she made abnormal improvement from Chester, which we thought she might - it was all class rather than stamina or fitness, she just has a lot of class.

"Ryan gave her a beautiful ride, he loved her the last day and he loved her again today so it's very exciting.

"I'd say she's still a bit green. Obviously at Chester she learned a lot, but she was always going to improve with racing."

He added: "What you love about her is she's a great traveller with a lot of class, Ryan said he was going very easy early on, so usually that means she can step up a couple of grades into even higher class races - she could take on the boys if the lads decide it. I'm delighted for them to have another filly like this."

Of the runner-up he said: "Whirl ran a great race, she stays, she's by Wootton Bassett and it is very unusual what they are doing, they are speed horses but a lot are staying as well.

"She was fighting back again at the line, that's incredible really."

More to follow...