Ombudsman, Minnie Hauk, Asfoora capture BC WAYIs at York

Godolphin’s Ombudsman and Coolmore’s Minnie Hauk dominated Breeders’ Cup Challenge events in different divisions at York this week, but chances are that both superstars could cross swords in the Turf (G1) at Del Mar.

Also booking Breeders’ Cup tickets at York were the Australian turf sprinter Asfoora, who captured the Nunthorpe (G1), and Gewan, successful in the Acomb (G3) as a “Win and You’re In” for the Juvenile Turf (G1). 

Ombudsman rules Juddmonte International (G1)

The Juddmonte International (G1) offers a berth to the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), but Ombudsman’s potential race of interest at Del Mar is the Turf. The John and Thady Gosden trainee already secured a Turf spot with his convincing victory in the Prince of Wales’s (G1) at Royal Ascot, and there’s no compelling reason to try dirt – especially since Godolphin’s stateside operation has Sovereignty on course for the Classic.

Ombudsman had the assistance of another Godolphin colleague, the Andre Fabre-trained Birr Castle, to serve as his pacemaker in Wednesday’s Juddmonte. That tactical move was deemed necessary after Ombudsman’s recent loss in the Eclipse (G1) at Sandown, where the lack of pace left him vulnerable to Coolmore’s Delacroix. The pace scenario had to be different for his rematch with Delacroix at York. Ombudsman accordingly went off as the slight 7-4 favorite to reverse form with the 9-4 Delacroix.  

Birr Castle tore off early, but he sped so far ahead that the rest of the field wound up being in a race-within-a-race among themselves. Japanese shipper Danon Decile led the compact main group, tracked by Ombudsman. With the pacemaker about 20 lengths or so in front, the unsustainably fast tempo produced another unusual race dynamic. 

Yet Birr Castle kept going for much longer than anticipated. The longshot, who went off at 150-1 in the British market, maintained such a large lead well into the stretch that he threatened to spring a gigantic surprise. When Birr Castle finally began to shorten stride, few rivals had the gears to catch up.

Ombudsman, once unleashed by William Buick, delivered his blistering turn of foot late to win going away by 3 1/2 lengths. The son of hot sire Night of Thunder covered about 1 5/16 miles in 2:07.90 on the good-to-firm course.

“Ombudsman produced a good performance,” Buick told godolphin.com, “because I had to cut the deficit myself, and then he went again, which is a hard thing to do. He was very smooth and in a rhythm, but had to chase the race himself. To still have that finish in him at the end was amazing. He is a beautiful horse to ride, with stacks of quality. We could not believe he got beaten in the Eclipse, but it was such a hard race to assess in any shape or form. Today he put it right and showed how good he is.”

Delacroix rallied in Ombudsman’s wake to snare second by a half-length from Birr Castle, who defied his odds to hang on for third. The filly See the Fire finished with interest in fourth, while Danon Decile retreated to fifth, and hitherto unbeaten French sophomore Daryz trailed. 

Ombudsman’s scorecard now stands at 8-6-2-0. Although he would be trying 1 1/2 miles for the first time in the Turf, his power-packed finish in the Juddmonte implies that he’d handle the extra distance around a flat, turning track like Del Mar. 

In the meantime, John Gosden indicated that Europe’s premier 1 1/4-mile prizes are on the agenda. The Sept. 13 Irish Champion (G1) at Leopardstown and the Oct. 18 Champion (G1) at Ascot will determine whether he advances to the Breeders’ Cup.

Minnie Hauk extends winning streak in Yorkshire Oaks (G1)

After turning the Epsom/Irish Oaks (G1) double, Minnie Hauk ranked as the prohibitive odds-on favorite to extend her streak in Thursday’s Yorkshire Oaks (G1). 

The Aidan O’Brien filly not only obliged over her three rivals at York. She turned in her most commanding display so far, propelling herself into the forefront of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1) discussion. 

Two factors could prompt Minnie Hauk to focus more on Del Mar than Paris: her preference for quicker going, and the presence of other Arc contenders in the loaded Ballydoyle yard. Indeed, stablemate Whirl fits the Arc profile, especially with her ground adaptability.  

Minnie Hauk’s talent, combined with her proficiency over 1 1/2 miles, will also influence her choice of Breeders’ Cup targets. While the Yorkshire Oaks is a “Win and You’re In” for the 1 3/8-mile Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1), she’s expected to tackle males in the 1 1/2-mile Turf. 

With regular rider Ryan Moore aboard at York, Minnie Hauk settled into third of the quartet as stablemate Garden of Eden set a strong pace. Trailing Minnie Hauk was her most intriguing foe, Estrange. 

The only older filly in the field, Estrange thrust herself into the Arc picture with a recent hat trick. Her scores in the Lester Piggott Fillies’ S. (aka the Pinnacle) (G3) and Lancashire Oaks (G2) stamped her as the principal rival to Minnie Hauk. 

Estrange was dispatched as the 5-2 second choice, despite concerns that York’s good-to-firm ground was a shade too fast for her. She validated her market status when ranging into contention about the same time that Minnie Hauk did. Although Estrange moved menacingly, she could not match the finishing kick of the favorite.

Minnie Hauk drew off by 3 1/2 lengths in a final time of 2:26.67. The daughter of Frankel ran nearly two full seconds faster than the day’s other 1 1/2-mile event, the listed Galtres S., won by Charlotte’s Web in 2:28.63.

Estrange, who was conceding nine pounds to the sophomores, was an honorable second. Garden of Eden checked in another 3 1/2 lengths astern in third, and Qilin Queen was a tailed-off last.

Minnie Hauk has now won five in a row since finishing runner-up in her debut as a juvenile. She promptly broke her maiden before signing off last October. 

A workmanlike winner of her reappearance in the May 7 Cheshire Oaks, she got up by a neck over Whirl at Epsom and prevailed by 1 1/4 lengths in the Irish equivalent at the Curragh. Minnie Hauk showed that she’s still progressing by opening up with authority here.

“She’s beautiful, she does everything right, she cruises – a lovely mover,” O’Brien said. “Obviously, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and the Breeders’ Cup Turf, all those races are there for her.

“Ryan (Moore) was talking to the lads (the Coolmore principals), and I was just earwigging and Ryan mentioned Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe for Whirl and maybe the Breeders’ Cup for this filly.”

“I think she will go for the Turf,” said Michael Tabor, who co-owns Minnie Hauk with Derrick Smith and Mrs. John Magnier.

Asfoora back on song in Nunthorpe (G1)

Sprinters have been taking turns winning the major prizes all season, and the trend continued in Friday’s Nunthorpe. Australian mare Asfoora regained her peak form to score as an 11-1 shot, with the 100-1 outsider Ain’t Nobody closing for runner-up honors. Lukewarm post-time favorite Arizona Blaze was a disappointing 11th, and juvenile filly Lady Iman, the erstwhile favorite who drifted to 11-2, faded to 14th of 17. 

Asfoora was winning her second Group 1, having plundered last year’s King Charles III (G1) at Royal Ascot. But the Henry Dwyer veteran had yet to return to that level of form during her current British sojourn.

Unlike 2024, when she shipped early, got in a prep, and peaked in June, Asfoora arrived later and had no time for a British prep this summer. In the circumstances, her fifth-place effort in her King Charles III title defense was respectable. She might have been expected to improve next out in the King George (G2) at Glorious Goodwood, but a rain-affected course dented her chances, and she reported home seventh.

If a race-fit Asfoora found her ideal conditions in the Nunthorpe, bettors were wary of a seven-year-old mare in an uncertain form cycle. Noor Elaine Farm’s homebred proved that she had not, in fact, lost a step or any enthusiasm with age.

Perched in the slipstream of front-running Night Raider, Asfoora traveled well in the hands of Oisin Murphy and deftly split rivals. The Flying Artie mare rolled to a 1 1/4-length decision in :57.38 for five furlongs.

Three-year-old Ain’t Nobody responded to the addition of cheekpieces, and reverting in trip, to mug Frost at Dawn at the wire for second. Night Raider weakened to fourth, followed by Rumstar, Jm Jungle, Sayidah Dariyan, slow-starting Mgheera, Celandine, She’s Quality, Arizona Blaze, Washington Heights, Kerdos, Lady Iman, Spartan Arrow, Manaccan, and Spicy Marg.

Asfoora’s different timeframe for her 2025 campaign could increase her chances of using her ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. At this point a year ago, she was coming off the boil, as evidenced by her fourth in the 2024 Nunthorpe. Dwyer then wisely gave her an extended vacation before gearing back up this term.

Plans call for Asfoora to continue her European swing through the Flying Five (G1) at the Curragh and the Prix de l’Abbaye (G1) on Arc Day. If she maintains her form, an American venture might be in the cards.

“It’s hard to keep getting horses to peak,” Dwyer said, “but after France, we’ll see what happens. We thought the Breeders’ Cup was an option last year, but it became a bit hard when she was over the top. This year could be different as she might just be peaking at the right time and can hopefully sustain that until then.”

Gewan makes it 2-for-2 in Acomb (G3)

Godolphin’s Distant Storm was favored in Wednesday’s Acomb after scoring in a deep Newmarket maiden on debut. But the promising juvenile compromised his chances by pulling fiercely in the early going. In consequence, Distant Storm didn’t have enough left when it counted, and he tired to third.

Instead, it was another son of Night of Thunder, Gewan, who improved his record to 2-for-2 in this first stakes test. Trained by Andrew Balding for Al Rabban Racing, the 11-2 chance pounced from his tracking position and repelled Ballydoyle’s fancied Italy. Gewan edged away by 1 1/2 lengths while clocking seven furlongs in 1:25.57.

Gewan was following up on his successful premiere at Newbury, where he overcame greenness to win decisively. The gray is likely to stick to seven furlongs this campaign, according to Balding, making his status for Del Mar questionable.