Only four declared for Yorkshire Oaks as Minnie Hauk heads Aidan O'Brien challenge with Whirl out

Minnie Hauk: heads to York on ThursdayCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Minnie Hauk will be Aidan O'Brien's main contender in Thursday's Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks (3.35), with Whirl not declared for the Group 1 on day two of the Ebor festival at York.

Just four were declared for the race, with the field the joint-smallest since Racing Post records began in 1988.

Minnie Hauk was 4-11 overnight to give O'Brien a fifth win in six years in the Yorkshire Oaks. The daughter of Frankel will bid for a Group 1 hat-trick having landed the Oaks at Epsom and the Irish Oaks at the Curragh last month.

It's one of the finest tracks in Britain - so why are some of the fields at York's Ebor meeting so poor?

O'Brien will also field Ribblesdale winner Garden Of Eden, who will look to bounce back from a disappointing run in the Preis der Diana in Germany at the start of the month.

An Oaks rematch between Minnie Hauk and Whirl will have to wait after the Epsom runner-up, who has gone on to win the Pretty Polly and Nassau, was not declared on Tuesday morning along with Bedtime Story.

Estrange with Danny Tudhope and groom Charlotte Mulhall after the Lancashire Oaks

Estrange is the biggest threat to Minnie Hauk according to the marketCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Estrange appears at Group 1 level for the first time for David O'Meara and Danny Tudhope. The Cheveley Park four-year-old doubled her tally for the season when landing the Lancashire Oaks last month, but her trainer warned last week that she may not run if the ground has firm in the going description. The ground was good to firm, good in places on Tuesday morning with little rain in the forecast.

The Ed Walker-trained Qilin Queen was behind Minnie Hauk and Whirl when eighth in the Oaks and comes here after a confidence boost from winning a Group 2 at Longchamp last month.

It could be a big day for Walker, who also saddles likely favourite Royal Fixation in the Group 2 Sky Bet Lowther Stakes (1.50). Ryan Moore picks up the ride on debut winner America Queen for Richard Hughes.

Moore also takes just a fifth opportunity for Dermot Weld in Britain and Ireland aboard Alice Monet in the Listed British EBF & Sir Henry Cecil Galtres Stakes (4.10).