Aidan O'Brien puts Minnie Hauk near the top of Arc list after fourth Oaks win

Aidan O’Brien put Minnie Hauk near the top of his list of candidates for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe after she completed an Oaks four-timer at York on Thursday.

The three-year-old lined up in the Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks having already won the Cheshire Oaks, English Oaks and Irish Oaks. With only four runners the Ryan Moore-ridden Minnie Hauk went off the 8-15 favourite and emerged a comfortable three and a half lengths winner over the David O’Meara-trained Estrange.

O’Brien said: “She’s beautiful, she does everything right, she cruises, she’s a lovely mover and obviously the Arc and the Breeders’ Cup Turf, all those races are there for her.

“Ryan said the (Breeders’ Cup) Turf, so she’s obviously given him an unbelievable feel. Ryan gave her a class ride, he was very cool on her. She is classy and he gave her a very confident ride.

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“It wasn’t going to be a Mickey Mouse race today, they were going to go an even gallop without going crazy. Ryan has always said the stronger the tempo, the better we’re going to see. She’s very exciting.”

Victory was a welcome filip 24 hours after Eclipse winner Delacroix was well beaten by Ombudsman in their head-to-head for the Juddmonte International and Derby winner Lambourn was defeated in the Great Voltigeur Stakes.

Minnie Hauk was cut to 10-1 (from 14-1) for the Arc by William Hill whose market is headed by Kalpana on 5-1.

“It was good for Ryan, he had a tough day yesterday and things didn’t work out but the professional that he is he didn’t flinch,” O’Brien went on.

“It was a nicely-run race, even though there were only four in it, I think the second is a nice filly, isn’t she. She’s won well in the end our filly, she obviously stays very well and always finishes her race off well. She doesn’t kill herself getting there but she’s always finishing.

“She has to be close to the top of our pecking order for the Arc, she’s an improving filly at this time of year. She could go to the Breeders’ Cup Turf but also the Arc. Whirl could go with her.

“Whirl could go to the Vermeille or Irish Champion, but there’s a good chance Delacroix goes back to the Irish Champion and if John (Gosden) brings his horse (Ombudsman) it will be great.”