Royal Ascot winner King Of Cloughan is among 30 entries for Saturday’s €1 million Goffs Million at the Curragh, Europe’s richest two-year-old race.
The Listed Windsor Castle Stakes winner by St Mark's Basilica bids to give trainer Joseph O’Brien a second victory in the seven-furlong contest, two years after Apples And Bananas landed the prize.
A €110,000 purchase by Carriganog Racing from Norelands at last year’s Orby Book 1 Sale, King Of Cloughan is one of four entries for O’Brien, alongside fellow €50,000 Goffs Bonus winner Green Dreamer, Dancinginthecity and Santerno.
Green Dreamer earned his €50,000 bonus when getting off the mark in the Frank Conroy Irish EBF Maiden at Leopardstown in mid-July and has since been placed in the Group 2 Futurity Stakes at the Curragh. €140,000 purchase Dancinginthecity and last-start winner Santerno complete O’Brien’s four-strong entry.
Joseph O’Brien said:
“The Goffs Million is a race we always like to target. The prize money on offer is fantastic, and this race is hugely rewarding for owners, so it’s great to have it to aim at throughout the season.
“We were fortunate enough to win it with Apples And Bananas in 2024 and we’re hoping to have a strong team for Saturday’s race. We’ve got some nice horses entered and hopefully we can go there and be competitive again.”
Group 1 form is provided by Carry The Flag, who finished runner-up in the Prix Morny at Deauville for Aidan O’Brien last month. The son of No Nay Never represents the same connections as last year’s Goffs Million winner Dorset and will bid to give them back-to-back victories in the €1 million contest. Carry The Flag is one of three entries for Aidan O’Brien alongside €1.9 million Orby Book 1 purchase Be In Love and Thomas Chippendale.
Charlie Hills remains the only British-based trainer to have won the Goffs Million since the race in its current form, having struck with Galeron in 2022. He is responsible for one of eight British-trained entries this year, with impressive Ascot winner Nobelos set to represent the Lambourn handler. Ralph Beckett, Richard Hughes, Kevin Ryan, Ed Walker and Michael Bell are the other British trainers with entries.
Perhaps, the most impressive Goffs Million winner to date was Paddy Twomey’s One Look, who careered away to win the 2023 running by six lengths on her first racecourse start.
Twomey has five entered for the 2026 edition, with €50,000 bonus winners Trean and Alpine Wedding joining City Of Dubai, Hi Corbett Court and The Good Wife.
Trean and €220,000 purchase Alpine Wedding have both landed €50,000 Goffs Bonuses this season, with Trean subsequently finishing third in the Group 3 Acomb Stakes at York’s Ebor Festival.
Goffs Group Chief Executive Henry Beeby, commented:
“As the richest two-year-old race in Europe, the Goffs Million provides a wonderful showcase for the quality and value available at the Orby Sale. We have another very strong entry this year, with some exciting two-year-olds from leading stables in both Ireland and the UK set to compete for €1 million at the Curragh.
“It is especially pleasing that eight of the entries have already won a €50,000 Goffs Bonus this season. The Goffs Two Million Series is designed to reward Orby buyers throughout the season as well as through the Goffs Million itself, and the success of those horses demonstrates the very real rewards on offer.
“We are really looking forward to Saturday and then to welcoming buyers from around the globe to Kildare Paddocks for the Orby Sale where they find another stellar catalogue of world class yearlings.”
Goffs Orby Book 1 takes place on Monday 28 and Tuesday 29 September, followed by Orby Book 2 on Wednesday 30 September and Thursday 1 October with a start time of 10am each day.
