TRAINER Charlie Appleby’s words came back to bite him as red-hot Oaks favourite Desert Flower was turned over by Ryan Moore on Minnie Hauk.
Speaking before the blockbuster, season-defining Group 1, Godolphin trainer Appleby said he thought jockey William Buick would be putting the race to bed at the 2f pole.
PAMinnie Hauk wins the Oaks ahead of Whirl making it a 1-2 for Coolmore as hot fav Desert Flower could only finish third[/caption]
GettyCharlie Appleby was incredibly bullish on his 1,000 Guineas winner beforehand but she never seriously looked like winning[/caption]
But the 11-10 1,000 Guineas winner who looked awesome at Newmarket last month didn’t seem to handle the rollercoaster Epsom track.
And by the time the 2f pole did appear she had loads of work to do to chase down Aidan O’Brien pair 9-2 Minnie Hauk and 17-2 Whirl.
Desert Flower did get going but far too late.
And by that time it was down to a battle between the two Coolmore runners with Moore, so, so strong in the finish, prevailing over Wayne Lordan to give his boss an 11th win in the race.
Minnie Hauk was cut to 16-1 for the Arc on the back of that – the same price as Coronation Cup winner Jan Brueghel.
The big talk before the off was whether the previously unbeaten Desert Flower would stay the trip.
Former top jockey Johnny Murtagh said on ITV that she definitely DID – she just didn’t handle the track.
Murtagh said: “You cannot say William Buick’s horse didn’t stay – it’s just that the other two were superior.”
O’Brien said: “I’m delighted. Minnie Hauk is very classy and Ryan gave her a beautiful ride.
“He loved her the last day [at Chester] and then again today, so she’s very exciting.
“She’s obviously learning – she went to Chester and learnt a lot and was still green, and she was always improving from mid-race.
“What you love about her is that she’s a great traveller, she has a lot of class.
“Ryan felt he was going very easily today on her and usually what that means is that she will be able to step up a couple of grades into even higher-class races.
“It’s lovely for the lads and for everyone to have another filly like that.”
The big question now is whether Appleby’s Ruling Court will handle tomorrow’s Derby – or even run at all.
The brilliant 2,000 Guineas winner has doubts over the trip, track and going, with a yellow weather warning in place at Epsom potentially scuppering his participation.
Moore will ride O’Brien’s Delacroix in the world’s most famous Flat race – but a draw of 14 hasn’t been overly kind to him, as the pair go for a hat-trick in the £1.5million contest.
FREE BETS – GET THE BEST SIGN UP DEALS AND RACING OFFERS
Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org.
Remember to gamble responsibly
A responsible gambler is someone who:
Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
Never chases their losses
Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
Gamble Aware – www.gambleaware.org
Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.
Creator – [#item_custom_dc:creator]
