Las Vegas on the cards as Galeron scoops €611,000 first prize in Goffs Million

Connections of Galeron were looking forward to partying in Dublin on Saturday night but celebrations could extend to a trip to Las Vegas after they scooped the €611,000 (£545,249) first prize in the Goffs Million at the Curragh.

Winning owner Gary Robinson, a plumber by trade, took his first step into racehorse ownership less than two years ago but hit the jackpot with Galeron, who cost just €45,000 as a yearling.

“I'm only 18 months into racehorse ownership and I wanted to get a couple of Flat horses for the summer because I'm mostly a jumps man," said Robinson, who heads up Aura (Gas) Holdings, based in Waterlooville, Hampshire.

"Last October I was sat at Newbury with Charlie Hills having a pint and we were looking at the horses he had, and he said he had a horse that's qualified for next year's Goffs Million. I didn't really understand what the Goffs Million was at that stage, but we set out to run him here.

"This morning we were saying that anything better than ninth would cover the cost of bringing him here and he's won!”

Along with wife Leanne and winning trainer Hills, Robinson was anticipating a big night in Dublin and vowed to keep a promise he made to Hills when they first hatched the plan to run in Ireland's richest race.

He added: “I vaguely remember promising to bring Charlie and his wife to Las Vegas if he won, and that looks likely that it's going to happen now! What a race though, I couldn't believe it. We were worried about the draw, worried about the ground, but he's just done it.

"Our biggest winner before this was in the Chatteris Fen Juvenile Hurdle at Huntingdon in January with Kotmask, but that was only worth £13,000. We're talking different numbers now and I'd say there is going to be a hell of a party in Dublin tonight.”

Charlie Hills: planning to paint Dublin red following Galeron's victoryCredit: Edward Whitaker

Hills has won races at the Breeders' Cup, Royal Ascot and on Arc day but Galeron's success was by far the richest purse he has ever collected in his training career.

His champion sprinter Muhaarar netted £358,684 when winning the Champions Sprint at Ascot in 2015, while Chriselliam won £337,423 when taking the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf in 2013 but Galeron, who was bred by Gigginstown House Stud and ridden to victory by Shane Foley, took it to another level at the Curragh.

Delighted to have pulled off a long-term plan, Hills said: "As soon as we bought him from the Goffs Orby Sales we had this race in mind. To get here is an achievement but to win it is fantastic. It's such a good pot.

"I've never been to Dublin so we're off there tonight. Gary, who is a plumber, and his wife Leanne are fantastic. He wants to go to the [Orby] sales next week and we'll look for another one. They've got some horses with Gary Moore as well and have won three races at Goodwood this year with Aggagio."

Galeron's win capped a good day all round for Hills, whose three runners at Haydock yielded two winners and a second.

With €246,800 for second and prize-money all the way down to tenth place, the Goffs Million attracted significant interest from across the Irish Sea, with runners trained in Britain filling six of the first seven places.

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The Front Runner is our latest email newsletter available exclusively to Members' Club Ultimate subscribers. Chris Cook, a four-time Racing Reporter of the Year award winner, provides his take on the day's biggest stories and tips for the upcoming racing every morning from Monday to Friday