Minnie Hauk is expected to go off the shortest price runner in a British or Irish Classic since Racing Post records began as the Juddmonte Irish Oaks (3.40) favourite shortened to 1-8 (from 1-5) on Saturday morning.
The Oaks winner is 6lb clear on ratings and is the only horse in the seven-runner field at the Curragh to have even finished in the top three last time out. She makes her first start for Aidan O’Brien since defeating Whirl by a neck at Epsom.
The O’Brien-trained Australia is the current record holder for the smallest SP in a Classic since 1988, having won the Irish Derby at 1-8 in 2014.
Three years later Order Of St George was sent off 1-7 for the Irish St Leger but beaten in a close finish by Wicklow Brave. Camelot was 1-5 for his 2012 Irish Derby success.
Minnie Hauk is available at no bigger than 1-7 with Betfred and Star Sports offering the shortest odds at 1-9.
Paddy Power are 1-8 and its spokesman Paul Binfield said: “We were 1-4 at declarations and she’s the only horse punters have wanted to back. She’s shortened again this morning and all her other rivals have been on the drift. I expect she’ll be even more solid throughout the day and go off at 1-8 but it wouldn’t be a complete shock if she broke the record.”
The record low SP for a British or Irish Classic in history is 8-100, the odds Windsor Slipper was sent off in the 1942 Irish St Leger and Pretty Polly in the 1904 Oaks at Epsom.
Unibet’s John Chambers added: “It may well end up being the lowest turnover on a British or Irish Classic we have ever had, unless someone comes in with a large bet at the prohibitive odds.
“Customers willing to take this price to “buy” money are now rarer than ever though due to various reasons so she will probably go off somewhere between 1-8 and 1-9 I’d say.
“The main money we have attracted so far in this race is on the second favourite, Wemightakedlongway, and it’s all mainly each-way, as we’d expect in a race of this make up. “
Shortest SPs for a Classic in Britain and Ireland since 1988
| Horse | Race | Year | SP | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | Irish Derby | 2014 | 1-8 | WON |
| Order Of St George | Irish St Leger | 2016 | 1-7 | 2nd |
| Camelot | Irish Derby | 2012 | 1-5 | WON |
| Diminuendo | Irish Oaks | 1988 | 2-9 | WON (Dead-Heat) |
| Yeats | Irish St Leger | 2006 | 2-7 | 2nd |
| Snowfall | Irish Oaks | 2021 | 2-7 | WON |
Scroll >>> table to view
Updated at 11.30am
Going report
The ground at Newbury is good to firm ahead of its Saturday card, headlined by the Weatherbys Super Sprint, and it looks set to avoid heavy rain which was previously forecast.
The track was looking at as much as 8mm of rain ahead of the opener at 1.50, but clerk of the course George Hill expects the total to be around 3-4mm.
Racing took place on good to firm ground on Friday and no water was added overnight in anticipation of rain. Saturday’s showers look set to replace the 3.5mm of moisture which evaporated from the ground.
Clerk of the course George Hill said: “We’ve had 2mm of rain already and we’ll probably get another drop of rain before midday. We’re on the edge of showers and we’re not expecting a massive quantity, only 1-2mm more.
“The ground is a bit quicker than yesterday but we’ll see what the rain does. We might get a small bit of good ground but the majority won’t change.”
Market Rasen could be hit with up to 10mm of rain before racing and conditions could ease from good to good to soft for its Unibet Summer Plate card.
It is the biggest day of the year at the Lincolnshire track, where the ground is on the quick side of good according to clerk of the course Alice Cosgrave but with rain to arrive from 10am.
Cosgrave said: “We’ve got good ground at the moment and had no rain overnight. It’s forecast to start between 10 to 11am and the worst of it between 12 and 1pm. We could get anywhere from 10 to 15mm of rain and possibly as much as 10mm before racing.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if good to soft crept in the going, whether that’s across the track or just in places. We’ve saved some fresh strips of ground which will take the rain. I’d be surprised if we raced on anything softer though.”
Posted at 9.15am
Non-runners
Market Rasen
2.40 12 Time Interval (infected foot)
3.50 1 Harel Du Marais (coughing)
4.25 7 Game Beaaa (not eaten up)
5.00 6 Chief Black Robe (pulled muscle), 12 Unwanted Attention (off colour)
Newbury
1.50 1 Ancient Wisdom (going)
2.25 8 Tides Of War (spread a plate)
4.45 Inca Heights (other)
5.20 2 Rockymountainway (going)
Posted at 10.15am
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by Racing Post
