Minnie Hauk has date with Justify after bouncing back to best
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Sat 17 Oct 2026
Minnie Hauk gave O'Brien his first Group One winner on Champions day for seven years
Minnie Hauk served a timely reminder of her class at Ascot to land the Qatar Racing British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes.
A dual Classic winner at three who came within a head of landing the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe last October, Aidan O’Brien’s daughter of Frankel had yet to hit the heights in her four-year-old career.
Ryan Moore was always close to the pace set by stablemate Sugar Island and rounding the turn for home the Ballydoyle number one was in the perfect position to strike, sending the 5-1 winner on for a length and a half triumph over fellow Irish raider, Johnny Murtagh’s Believed.
But there was to be no third win in the race for Andrew Balding’s even-money favourite Kalpana, as remarkably O’Brien landed a first Group One triumph on British Champions Day since Magical in 2019.
O’Brien said: “William (Buick) was very happy with how she ran in the Arc (this year, 10th), what can I say, she’s a very good filly.
Lydia Hislop speaks with O'Brien after Minnie Hauk's success
“Ryan kept it very simple on her today, she was drawn wide, I thought he was very good on her. She’s a very good filly and obviously we know what she did last year.
“What she does now, whether that’s her or she finishes in America (Breeders’ Cup) I’m not sure, that will be down to the lads. We’ve got Precise going for the Filly & Mare so if she goes it will be for the Turf, that’s what we’re thinking at the moment anyway.
“I’m know she’s going to Justify at the end of the year.”
He went on: “She’s had this issue with corns all year, it’s like having a stone in your shoe. They kept coming back, in both heals, but our farriers did an incredible job.
“I wasn’t confident, but I was hopeful – I’m never confident! William was very happy with her in the Arc, not thinking about where she finished he said all she wanted was a good gallop and she didn’t get it, she got trapped in.
“She was always going to come here if she was OK, but she’s had a very clear run since the Arc. She travelled well the whole way and he was always in the right position.
“Andrew’s filly has been an incredible filly all the way through.”
Enjoy a full replay and all the reaction
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