Jack Hobbs Dominant in Irish Derby Win
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Godolphin and partners' Jack Hobbs romped to an open-lengths win in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby (Ire-I) June 27 at the Curragh.
Runner-up to stablemate Golden Horn last time out in the Investec Espom Derby (Eng-I), the son of Halling got it all together Saturday to defeat Kentucky-bred Storm the Stars (third at Epsom), with Giovanni Canaletto 5 1/2 lengths back in third for trainer Aidan O'Brien in the eight-horse field.
Jack Hobbs, the 10/11 favorite ridden by William Buick for trainer John Gosden, was timed in 2:34.93 for 1 1/2 miles on firm turf. The Irish Derby was run for the 150th time Saturday and the colt became the first British-trained runner to win since Commander in Chief in 1993.
The win was the was first in a stakes for Jack Hobbs, who also was second to Golden Horn in the Dante Stakes (Eng-II) May 14 at York in his start prior to the Derby June 6. He has a 3-2-0 record from five career starts.
Breaking alertly for Buick, Jack Hobbs was settled in third as Storm the Stars set the pace for much of the race. Into the stretch, Jack Hobbs engaged the front-runner, then kicked away to the a brilliant victory.
"That was fantastic," Buick told Ireland's RTE after the race. "He's a great horse.
"I had a lot of belief in him before Epsom and he was even better today. He's a horse that's improving all the time. It's fantastic to win an Irish Derby, but it's just great to ride horses like him. He's been handled brilliantly by John. He's obviously a late maturing horse, but he's really coming to himself now and he's a serious horse."
Gosden said Jack Hobbs would be rested, then return for the the Qatar Prix Neil (Fr-II) Sept. 13 ahead of an expected bid for the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I) Oct. 4, both at Longchamp.
Qualify finished sixth, while attempting to become the first filly since Balanchine in 1994 to win the Irish classic. O'Brien-trained stablemates Kilimanjaro and Highland Reel finished a respective fourth and fifth.
Jack Hobbs won his career debut last December at Wolverhamption and returned in April at Sandown with a visually impressive 12-length triumph in his start preceding the Dante. Godophin bought him prior to the Epsom Derby. Sire Halling was formerly a prominent member on Darley's sire roster.
Jack Hobbs was bred in Great Britain by Minister Stud. His dam is the Swain mare Swain's Gold, a stakes winner at Turf Paradise in 2004 and a half sister to U.S. stakes winner and stakes producer Brazilian. She also is the dam of group III-placed Niceofyoutotellme (Hernando) and one other winner.Second dam Golden Pond was a multiple graded stakes winner at Gulfstream Park.
Jack Hobbs went through the ring at the 2014 Tattersalls October yearling sale, where his breeders sold him for 60,000 guineas (US$100,498) to Blandford Bloodstock. His dam was acquired by British bloodstock agent James Delahooke at the 2007 Keeneland January horses of all ages sale, where she was offered by Mill Ridge Sales.