The horse Apples and Bananas, trained by Joseph O’Brien and ridden by Dylan Browne McMonagle, continued a successful season by securing the Goffs Million at the Curragh. Prior to the race, the Wootton Bassett colt was well-regarded since his Listed winner title at Deauville. Even though Antelope Canyon, trained by Aidan O’Brien, was the favourite with odds at 9-4, it was Apples and Bananas that ultimately clinched the victory, demonstrating an unwavering spirit to prevail by a head at the finish line, thereby winning the grand prize of €495,000.
O’Brien also trained the horses that took third, fourth and ninth in the race. He commended his winning horse for its toughness, noting that while it performs best at a mile, it demonstrated a successful performance in this race. He also praised Goffs for offering such a substantial prize, saying it encouraged horse-buying for next week’s Orby sale.
O’Brien outlined a careful plan for his horse’s future races, revealing that he might consider running Apples And Bananas in the Saint-Cloud races or the Futurity Trophy next year as the horse has much stamina in its pedigree from the Aga Khan family. O’Brien was also satisfied with the performance of his other horses, acknowledging their fantastic runs.
“Mikey [Sheehy] highlighted that Celtic Motif encountered a great deal of traffic, a claim that I need to verify by watching the race again. Realising he was stationed on the spectator railing and had an entire group ahead, the third place achievement is commendable,” are the statements given.
After securing a hard-won victory at the Montane Developments Beresford Stakes, Hotazhell is planning to aim for Group One success at Doncaster next. This triumph helped Hotazhell regain its winning streak after coming second in the Irish Futurity Stakes last time and being ridden by Shane Foley upon return to the same racecourse as the 2-1 joint favourite.
In the initial phase of the race, Foley had to get involved from the saddle, clearly believing that the bay horse had more to deliver. Working together, they gradually gained a three-quarter-length victory over Tennessee Stud.
Speaking of her Group Two victor, Harrington said, “He’s truly an excellent horse. We’re thrilled with him.” She further elaborated, “He performs, then takes a break. When he gets back on track, he’s certain to persist. He’s a quality horse. Given that he copes well with the mile, he’ll likely compete for the Futurity at Doncaster. He’s a progeny of Too Darn Hot, but he manages the mile effectively, covering every yard of it with ease. Bonnie and Tommy Hamilton, his owners, deserve congrats, since they also owned Pathfork, another horse in my care.”