The Parknasilla Hotel Goffs Millions will take place at The Curragh on the eve of the Goffs Million Sale, Sunday 28th September 2008. Entries for the races, which will run alongside the Beresford Stakes, now close on Wednesday, February 6th.
Click here to see a list of horses eligible for the Parknasilla Hotel Goffs FILLIES Million.
> Goffs Eligible Fillies for the Million
Click here to see a list of horses eligible for the Parknasilla Hotel Goffs COLTS Million.
> Goffs Eligible Colts & Geldings for the Million
Commenting at the announcement of the date, Goffs Group Chief Executive Henry Beeby said:
“This date is perfect as everyone involved in the fantastic Million experience will be in town and can come straight from the Million Day at the Curragh to the Million Sale at Goffs to chase the following year’s dream.
The revised building programme at the Curragh posed several options for us which have been fully explored. The team at Goffs is 100% committed to growing and developing the Goffs Million concept year on year, and we firmly believe this is the best possible date for our valued vendors and purchasers.
The Goffs Million sale and races boast the World’s Richest Sales Race Incentive and by staging the races and sale closer together, we believe we can create a truly spectacular event and maximize the impact of the Million races on the sales results themselves. It is a format which has proven successful around the world and we feel it will improve the “Million Experience” for everyone involved - the owners, vendors, purchasers and racegoers”.
The Parknasilla Hotel Goffs Millions are two races, one for fillies and one for colts and geldings, exclusively for graduates of last year’s Goffs Million Yearling Sale. Each race is worth an incredible €1,000,000 to the winner, with a combined total prize fund of €3,200,000. A further million can be won by each winner should they go on to victory in the Irish 2000 or 1000 Guineas in 2009, making the total available prize fund an unrivalled €5,200,000.
European Champion Juvenile New Approach and Dual Guineas winner Finsceal Beo are both graduates of the Million Sale, and previous winners of the Million races include Group 1 winner Miss Beatrix, and the very impressive Luck Money and Lush Lashes.
Lush Lashes & Luck Money – the latest Goffs Millionaires.
The owners of the Jim Bolger-trained filly Lush Lashes and the Paul Cole-trained colt Luck Money were the recipients of €1,000,000 each in The Parknasilla Hotel Goffs Millions last September at the Curragh. The single richest race day in Europe this year, €3,200,000 in prize money was up for grabs across the two feature races which were run exclusively for graduates of Goffs Million Sale 2006.
The previously unraced Lush Lashes cost Jim Bolger just €80,000 at the 2006 sale and went off 10/1 for the fillies’ event. Putting in a very impressive performance to win by a length and a half over British challenger Rinterval, the daughter of Galileo prompted a comparison by her trainer to dual-Guineas winning stable mate and fellow Million Graduate Finsceal Beo. Lush Lashes was consigned by Mount Coote Stud at the Million Sale.
Richard Hannon’s Rinterval picked up €300,000 for her connections by finishing in second, while others finishing in the money were Dermot Weld’s Caribbean Sunset and Group 2 winner Campfire Glow, Zeu Tin Tin and the Clive Cox trained Amylee.
Luck Money justified his name and his 9/2 joint favoritism by making almost all to lead home a British 1-2-3 in a thrilling running of the Parknasilla Hotel Goffs Colts Million. The Indian Ridge colt, who had finished third in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot earlier in the season, was sold by Chris Harrington’s Ridge Manor Stud to owner Bill Smith for €160,000 at the sale. He looks to be a very good colt, and trainer Paul Cole hinted that the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes may be next on his agenda.
The Gary Moore trained Hitchens finished 2 1/2 lengths back in second, with the William Jarvis trained Major Willy in third followed by David Wachman's Lisvale and Kevin Prendergast's Mr Medici.
Luck Money and Lush Lashes join Group 1 winner Miss Beatrix, the winner of the inaugural Million race in 2006, as Goffs Millionaires.
Goffs – home to the World’s Richest Sales Race Incentive.
For further assistance please contact the following on +353 (0)45 886600:
Henry Beeby (henrybeeby@goffs.ie)
Nick Nugent (nicknugent@goffs.ie)
Elaine Lawlor (elainelawlor@goffs.ie)
Niamh O’Hehir (niamhohehir@goffs.ie)
Joey Cullen (joeycullen@goffs.ie)
