Minnie Hauk backed up market confidence in the Qatar Racing British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot.
Sent off at 5/1 despite a relatively disappointing season to date, Minnie Hauk proved the money to be spot on with a commanding performance under Ryan Moore.
A top class performer last season, Minnie Hauk had struggled to hit her straps in 2026 but had shown a little more promise on her last two starts in the Yorkshire Oaks and Arc de Triomphe.
She was behind even money favourite Kalpana on both occasions but the market leader ran flat, failing to pick up in the straight with a long season taking its toll.
Minnie Hauk had jumped well from the gates, gradually edging across from a high draw and settling in second behind stablemate and habitual front-runner Sugar Island.
The fact that the pair were still on the pace at the top of the straight, along with other prominent racers, Believed and Lilt tells plenty of the way the race was run.
Minnie Hauk responded best for pressure, outclassing her rivals and beating Believed by a length and a half with Lilt a further neck away.
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Winning trainer Aidan O’Brien said: “I’m over the moon. She has been bugged with corns all year the poor little thing. At the Arc she came right and William [Buick] was very happy with her. She is a very good filly, what can I say.
“The corn is like having a stone in your shoe. She was getting them on both heels and they get coming back. Rory, our farrier, did an incredible job. She is an incredible filly.
“She put up an unbelievable run in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes here in June. I think the King George was a bit disappointing, but I did a stupid thing in the King George as our own horse, Lambourn, went along with her and they took each other along.
“I’m never confident, but I was hopeful. William was very happy with her in the Arc, not thinking about where she finished . All she wanted was a good gallop, and she didn’t get it as she was trapped in there. It was always the plan to come here if she was okay, but she has had a very clear run since the Arc. He had a lovely position on her and he was always in control.
“The Lads will want to decide what they want to do, whether they want to go to America or retire her. I know she is going to Justify at the end of the year. I imagine it would be the Turf for if she runs at the Breeders’ Cup as Precise is going for the Filly and Mare Turf.”
Johnny Murtagh said of Believed: “I’m very happy. I thought after winning her Group 3 at Cork that we would be coming here.
“Sheikh Fahad [owner] is part of the family that sponsor the day so it would have been really good to have been able to pull it off, but she has run a great race and we are very proud of her. She handles the track as she ran well at Royal Ascot. She has run a huge race.
“All those big fillies’ races will be for her next year and hopefully she will be back in this race next year. She is finished now. We will bring her home and give her a good winter and get her ready for next year.”
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