Apples And Bananas (5/2) survived a stewards’ enquiry to land the Goffs Million for Joseph O’Brien, who was also responsible for the third and fourth home in Europe’s richest two-year-old race at the Curragh on Saturday.

Successful in a Killarney maiden on his second start in July, the son of Wootton Bassett justified a trip to Deauville when winning a Listed race over a mile, and he looked to want that trip when rallying to the line in Saturday’s seven-furlong feature. Leading from the break, he was forced to battle when the Aidan O’Brien-trained favourite Antelope Canyon produced a challenge inside the final furlong, with the eventual winner hanging slightly under pressure.

Apples And Bananas prevailed by a head on the line, while his stablemate Celtic Motif ran on well following traffic problems to finish three lengths further back in third. Joseph O’Brien’s pair and the fourth horse Valencia won a total of €655,000 between them.

“He's as tough as nails,” O’Brien said between speaking to connections of his three horses. “It was a good, aggressive ride from Dylan, and he stayed onto the line well. I’m delighted to win, and delighted with the other ones.”

“He's obviously better at a mile, but it's a great pot to win. It’s a fantastic incentive for people to buy horses next week and hopefully we’ll be going back to try and find one for next year.”

The Futurity Trophy or a trip to Saint Cloud is next on the cards for Apples And Bananas, while looking further ahead, the trainer commented: “I see him as a horse to go ten furlongs next year; there’s a bit of stamina in his pedigree, it's an Aga Khan family.”

Apples And Bananas is owned by Maclennan/Shanahan/Magnier/Smith, having been bought by MV Magnier at the Goffs Orby Sale for €130,000. Bred by Phoenix Thoroughbred out of the listed-placed mare Simannka, both he and the second horse home were sold by Baroda Stud. The farm's David Cox who spoke to The Irish Field about their upcoming Goffs draft in the latest edition. Read the feature here.