Dorset held on to complete a big-race double at the Curragh for Aidan O’Brien with victory in the Goffs Million.

It was English raider Homestrait, who had not finished outside the first two in seven starts, that was first to show in Europe’s richest two-year-old contest as Brian Ellison’s charge set the pace for the first half of the race.

Dorset took it up just over three furlongs out with Andrew Balding’s New Monarch hot on his heels, but Jack Cleary was always in charge as his 17/2 shot galloped home one-and-a-quarter lengths clear of August George with the winner’s stablemate and 5/6 favourite Composing taking third.

O’Brien had earlier seen Hawk Mountain win the Beresford Stakes and stable representative Chris Armstrong said: “It’s fantastic to win this race. Fair play to Goffs for putting up a pot like this, it’s a major incentive to bring a good field and they got well supported today.

“His form has been in the book, in fairness, and he’s just done a few things wrong.

“Today we took the hood off him, we thought with it on in the National Stakes the last day he just didn’t show his true potential.

“He ran nicely in the Vintage at Goodwood behind the same horse (Zavateri).

“Jack gave him a lovely ride, he jumped, went forward and got a lovely position.

“In fairness when he asked him he really knuckled down. He’s definitely a group horse and you’d have to maybe give him a go at the Dewhurst now and see.

“He’s a typical Wootton Bassett, he’s all there, he’s a strong traveller. Once Jack really asked him at the business end he knuckled down and went away at the finish.”

Beresford Stakes

Earlier on the card, Hawk Mountain set down a marker for next year’s classics as he made all to comprehensively land the Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club Beresford Stakes.

Another Aidan O’Brien-trained son of Wootton Bassett, out of the Group 1-winning Hydrangea, he justified 5/4 favouritism and never saw another rival after Ronan Whelan sent him to the head of the field in the Group 2 contest.

The straightforward three-and-a-quarter-length victory earned him a Derby quote of 16/1 (from 50/1) with Coral, as he won easing down from Greyon, with Al Haarith holding on for third in the five-runner field.

Options are being kept open for Hawk Mountain, with a trip to Doncaster for the Futurity Trophy or Saint-Cloud for his final assignment of the season among the options.

Chris Armstrong, representing the O’Brien stable, said: “He’s a smashing colt. Obviously he’s got the sire and the dam and he has plenty of size and scope. Whatever he does at two we think will be a bonus.

“Ronan gave him a lovely ride, he had his ears pricked the whole way around and there is plenty in there. He felt he was still green, even coming up to the line. It’s a good sign and hopefully he’ll improve again.

“He’s in the mix for the Futurity Trophy in Doncaster or maybe he could go to France for the race in Saint-Cloud. He’s one to look forward to for middle distances next year.

“Ronan said when he got him organised, he got one crack into him and he really went away. He’s a smashing horse to look forward to over the winter.”