Where there’s a Group 1 flat race anywhere in the UK or Ireland, Aidan O’Brien is bound to have the favourite.
It doesn’t matter whether it’s Ascot or Newmarket, Galway or the Curragh, the Irish trainer has such a wealth of talent at his Ballydoyle yard that he can multiple entries in almost every single race, and 99% of the time, one of them is tipped to win.
His dominance at the highest level of flat racing is remarkable, so much so that in 2025 alone, he has already won the Coronation Cup with Jan Brueghel, both the Epsom and Irish Derby with Lambourn, and the Coral-Eclipse with Delacroix.
Since January, he has sent out 62 runners, won 17 races (27% win rate), and taken home prize money in excess of £3.8 million. Over the last five years, he has won every major race imaginable, earning just shy of £25 million in prize money.
As this season continues to roll on, so too will the wins and the prize money, and next up for connections is the 2025 Irish Oaks, where Minnie Hauk looks like the filly to beat.
Will it all be smooth sailing for the Epsom Oaks winner, or have her rivals got her number as they all gear up for another epic showdown? Let’s find out.
Betting On The 2025 Irish Oaks
Betting on the Irish Oaks 2025 is all about weighing class, form, and pedigree. This year, Minnie Hauk headlines the market, trading at short odds after a stellar season.
Favourites have a strong record in the Irish Oaks, winning roughly 40% of the last 20 renewals, evidence that the race tends to reward the best fillies.
So, if you’re looking to explore the latest odds or want to place a bet, the Fruity Slots betting page is a handy resource for up-to-date markets and insights on every contender.
Bedtime Story and Desert Flower are snapping at Minnie Hauk’s heels in the betting, both boasting top-class credentials and recent big-race form.
While upsets do happen, the Curragh often sees the cream rise to the top, making the favourite, Minnie Hauk, a popular punt.
A Jewel In The Curragh’s Crown
Scheduled to run on July 19th, 2025, at the Curragh Racecourse, the Irish Oaks is where the best three-year-old fillies in Europe gather to battle over 1 mile and 4 furlongs.
First run in 1895, the Irish Oaks was originally a mile-long dash before stretching to its current distance in 1915. Today, it stands as Ireland’s answer to the Epsom Oaks, drawing top fillies for a shot at Group 1 glory and a share of the €500,000 prize pot, with nearly €290,000 going to the winner.
Only three-year-old fillies can enter, many of whom will already have run in the Epsom Oaks, which took place on June 6th.
Past winners include Enable, Snowfall, Ouija Board, and Sea Of Class, so winning it is an incredible achievement, but this year, only Minnie Hauk can do the double and win them both!
The Curragh’s Maestro
Luckily for Minnie Hauk, she is trained by Aidan O’Brien, and if there’s a man who knows how to win the Irish Oaks, it’s him. He has already trained a record seven winners of this race, including Alexandrova, Peeping Fawn, Moonstone, Bracelet, Seventh Heaven, Snowfall, and Savethelastdance.
For 2025, he doesn’t just have Minnie Hauk in the running. There’s still a way to go, and declarations are not due until closer to the race, but he could conceivably also run Ballet Slippers, Bedtime Story, and Dreamy, any of whom, on the right day, could storm home for the win.
For now, though, let’s talk about the filly everyone has their eye on: Minnie Hauk.
Bought for a jaw-dropping €1.85 million as a yearling, Minnie Hauk is sired by Frankel and out of Multilingual, and she’s already lived up to her price tag.
Her rise has been meteoric, with a maiden win at Leopardstown in October 2024 before returning to win the Cheshire Oaks at Chester Racecourse in May 2025. Building on that, she then took on the Epsom Oaks, where she outbattled her stablemate Whirl and proved she’s got both heart and talent to burn.
With jockey Ryan Moore on board, she makes a worthy favourite, but can she be beaten?
Minnie Hauk’s Chances
Let’s be honest, she’s the one they all have to beat. She’s got the best form, the best connections, and she’s improving at just the right time. But this is the Irish Oaks, and nothing is ever handed to you at the Curragh.
Her main rival looks set to be Bedtime Story, also trained by Aidan O’Brien. Not only that, they both have the same owners in Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, and Michael Tabor, and they are both sired by Frankel, making them half-sisters.
Bedtime Story has shown her class in top company, running consistently well throughout the season, but while she has certainly put up a solid campaign, she has only managed a career-best third in the Group 1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Catalina Delcarpio, trained by Paddy Twomey, is one of the most exciting improvers in the field. With a dominant debut win at Leopardstown, where she pulled clear by over four lengths, she immediately marked herself as a filly of serious potential.
Twomey skipped Epsom to target the Irish Oaks, so the potential head-to-head with Minnie Hauk makes her a fascinating contender who could easily outrun her odds.
Lastly, we have Desert Flower, trained by Charlie Appleby for Godolphin, who, until the Epsom Oaks, was an unbeaten filly and one of the leading three-year-olds in Europe.
She had won five on the bounce but floundered a little when up against Minnie Hauk in June, and connections, while probably disappointed, had to settle for third place, behind a one-two home for O’Brien.
A re-match is on the cards, and if she regains her 1000 Guineas winning form, it could go down to the wire.
