Happy connections pose with Bolo Neighs after his Goffs 500 score (Breandán Ó hUallacháin)
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By Breandán Ó hUallacháin
Saturday was Goffs Millions Day at The Curragh Racecourse, County Kildare, Ireland.
The Goffs 500, worth €500,000, went for export with British-based trainers responsible for the winner and runner-up, Bolo Neighs and Mollie Foster, in the 10-horse field.
The winner, a juvenile son of Coulsty, was ridden by Irish jockey Chris Hayes, for owner Peter Mellett. Trained in England by Ralph Beckett, Bolo Neighs (5/1) had previously been placed twice in three starts in Britain, when runner-up at both Yarmouth and York.
Bred by Rathasker Stud in Ireland, Hayes had his mount prominent in the early stages of the contest, before easily taking the lead two furlongs from home. When the rider asked his mount for an effort, Bolo Neighs duly obliged and put daylight between himself and the remainder of the field after the one-eight pole – the winning gelding gave his delighted owner a winner’s cheque for €245,000.
Speaking to irishracing.com after his win, the winning rider Chris Hayes said:
“It was nice. I spoke to Rossa Ryan [jockey who rode Bolo Neighs on his most recent run] on Thursday and he was very sweet on the horse.”
Fellow English-trained horse Mollie Foster (5/1) was seven lengths behind the very impressive victor. The filly was lying in fourth position at the two-furlong marker and though she challenged the eventual winner, she was no match for the Ralph Beckett-handled gelding. Mollie Foster, a filly by Rathbarry Stud’s Acclamation, was ridden by Saffie Osborne for conditioner Ed Walker.
First into the ring at #GoffsOrby 12 months ago BOLO NEIGHS lands the spoils in the Goffs 500 @curraghrace for @RalphBeckett & Peter Mellett
— Goffs (@Goffs1866) September 28, 2024
Bred & sold by @RathaskerStud to @A_C_Elliott pic.twitter.com/R68v0nIcKK
Bred by Kildaragh Stud in Ireland, the two-year-old was a winner over six furlongs on her most recent start at Goodwood, England, beaten half a length by Sea Emily Run. This afternoon she had half a length in hand on Lightning Bear (4/1), the first of the Irish-trained horses to pass the wire in the six-furlong contest.
Lightning Bear, handled by Jack Davison, was lying in midfield for much of the race and was within touching distance of the two leaders as they passed the two-eight pole. Though outpaced a furlong later, the Wesley Joyce-ridden challenger rallied well to hold third place at the line, a half-length ahead of the fourth-placed horse, Suglow (12/1), who weakened inside the final furlong for the trainer-jockey combination of Paddy Twomey and Billy Lee.
Hotazhell wins Group 2 Beresford Stakes
The Group 2 Montane Developments Beresford Stakes saw Hotazhell (2/1 joint-favourite) return to winning ways when claiming the €120,000 race.
Trained by Jessica Harrington, the two-year-old son of Too Darn Hot, was running for a fifth time this season, and for a third at The Curragh.
The winner of a Curragh maiden on 5 July before following up with success in the Group 3 Japan Racing Association Tyros Stakes at Leopardstown 20 days later, Hotazhell today battled to a three-quarters of a length victory over Tennessee Stud (9/1) – trained by Joseph O’Brien and ridden by Dylan Browne McMonagle, a combination that would go on to take the Goffs Million later in the day with Apples And Bananas.
The British-trained Windlord, in the colours of Juddmonte Farms, finished in third in the Beresford Stakes for jockey Billy Lee.
