Magnier: ‘This is What Racing is All About – This Place’

[Wandering Eyes]

EPSOM DOWNS, UK — It is impossible to think of the Coolmore operation without the name Sangster coming to mind and, not for the first time, a member of the clan has been instrumental in aiding Coolmore to Classic glory. The imperious Minnie Hauk reeled in and eventually – but only just – overhauled her front-running stable-mate Whirl to give Ben Sangster his second winner of the Oaks as breeder after Dancing Rain struck at Epsom back in 2011. For good measure, he also bred last year's Coronation Cup winner Luxembourg (Camelot). For Aidan O'Brien and the team from Ballydoyle this was a fourth Classic success of the European season and an eleventh win in the Oaks since Shahtoush 27 years ago. The numbers continue to veer off the charts. 

Sangster didn't sound too perturbed at being disturbed by the TDN while on holiday in Copenhagen, and answered the phone with a “Wasn't that fantastic?” 

Indeed it was, and the ever-modest breeder added of his Classic double, “I've just been lucky. It's all thanks to two great trainers in William Haggas and Aidan O'Brien, and two brilliant fillies.”

He continued, “It looks like they are going to have a great time with Minnie Hauk. That was very impressive and I'm delighted for them as they paid a lot of money for her. They've got a wonderful filly and she's from a fantastic family.”

That family is one more usually synonymous with Juddmonte. Not only is Minnie Hauk by Frankel but her dam Multilingual (Dansili) is a half-sister to Kingman, who is in turn responsible for one of the most exciting three-year-old colts of the season in the Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Field Of Gold. 

“I really should be there [at Epsom] and not here,” Sangster said. “But we managed to see the race and I'm sure we'll be opening a bottle to celebrate.”

The on-course celebrations were joined by Sangster's son Ollie, who came so close to claiming a Classic of his own as a trainer this season when saddling the second and third home in the 1,000 Guineas. He had bought Multilingual on his father's behalf at Keeneland back in 2019 and Minnie Hauk has already more than paid back that initial outlay of $525,000. Not only has her Classic victory given an already-glittery family an extra sparkle but she also topped the Goffs Orby Sale of 2023 when selling for €1.85 million to MV Magnier. 

The team of Coolmore partners was out in force at Epsom, and had already celebrated the battling success of last year's St Leger hero Jan Brueghel in the Coronation Cup – a tenth victory in that particular Group 1 for O'Brien. Both he and Minnie Hauk had been galvanised to victory by the peerless Ryan Moore.

A brother to the Irish Derby winner Sovereign, Jan Brueghel, bred by David Nagle, another key Coolmore ally, ensured that his sire Galileo was not forgotten this Derby weekend, 24 years after the late champion's own Epsom triumph. And there he was again, an hour later, as grandsire of the first two home in the Oaks.

“It's incredible. This is what racing is all about – this place,” said MV Magnier. “It means so much to everybody here. Ben and Lucy Sangster, who bred the filly, they are very good customers of ours and I am delighted for them, and for David and Diane Nagle as well. And the best thing is that Multilingual is in foal to Justify.”

He added, “I must thank Fred Done [of Betfred] for everything he is doing for the sport. To sponsor all five Classics is an incredible thing.”

In celebrating Minnie Hauk, a thought must be spared for the plucky Whirl, who had stripped fittest of all in the paddock and did everything right bar win, after making all of the running under Wayne Lordan and being denied by a neck. It's the second time her sire Wootton Bassett has provided the runner-up in an Epsom Classic after King Of Steel in the Derby two years ago. Having been responsible already this season for the French Classic-winning duo of Henri Matisse and Camille Pissarro, as well as one of the most exciting juveniles we've seen out so far in Albert Einstein, Wootton Bassett continues to prove his versatility – a trait which separates the good stallions from the great ones.

“It goes back to the old thing: let the horses do the talking. When you have Aidan and Ryan, and you have Wootton Bassett and Justify…,” said Magnier, tailing off as if to emphasise his first sentence.

And so, after a big day, thoughts turn to an even bigger day, and a Beftred Derby which is considered by many to be one of the most open races for the Blue Riband in many a year. O'Brien and Coolmore have three of the top five in the betting. The mighty Moore is, of course, on the favourite Delacroix (Dubawi).

Looking ahead to this most celebrated of Classics, Magnier added, “I don't want to sound like an old stuck record but the Derby is what our entire business is modelled on. The Derby is the most important race, it's the most important stallion-making race. It's why we get up in the morning.”

Saturday morning can't come soon enough. 

 

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