By Sean Cronin
Joseph O'Brien trainee Apples And Bananas (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}–Simannka {Ire}, by Mastercraftsman {Ire}), fresh off a black-type breakthrough in last month's Listed Criterium du Fonds Europeen de l'Elevage at Deauville, continued on a winning roll with a battling victory in Saturday's Goffs Million at the Curragh.
The 5-2 second choice was quickly into stride from the stands' side stall and gained an immediate advantage in this seven-furlong test. Comfortable on the front end until scrubbed along with a quarter-mile remaining, he was tackled by 9-4 favourite Antelope Canyon (Ire) (No Nay Never) entering the final furlong and refused to yield under a late drive to bravely deny that rival by a head in a ding-dong thriller.
“It was a good, aggressive ride from Dylan [Browne McMonagle], he's a very tough horse and he stayed on to the line well,” said O'Brien, who also trained the third and fourth home. “He's as tough as nails and I'm delighted with him. He's obviously better at a mile, but it's a great pot to win and fair play to Goffs. It's a fantastic incentive for people to buy horses next week and we'll hopefully be going back to try and find one for next year. He had stakes form, went and led all the way and he's a good horse. He should go ten furlongs next year, it's an Aga Khan family and he has a bit of stamina in his pedigree. We'll have a look at one of those Saint-Cloud [Group 1] races and he's in the [G1] Futurity Trophy as well. I'd say he might run in one of those races before we pull up for the year.”
Apples And Bananas, a €130,000 Goffs Orby graduate, is the second of three foals and lone scorer from two runners out of Listed Lenebane Stakes third Simannka (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), herself produced by a winning half-sister to multiple Group 1-winning sire Sinndar (Ire) (Grand Lodge). The May-foaled bay, whose third dam is stakes-winning matriarch Sinntara (Ire) (Lashkari {GB}), is full to a yearling colt.
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Apples & Bananas wins a thrilling renewal of the @Goffs1866 Million for @JosephOBrien2 @curraghrace pic.twitter.com/fcrauxdfQq
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 28, 2024
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