Impressive Irish Derby Success For Jack Hobbs

Jack Hobbs gained Classic success in great style when taking the Group One Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh, Ireland on Saturday, June 27.

The three-year-old son of Halling, trained by John Gosden and ridden by William Buick, always travelled well in the 12-furlong Classic.

The Investec Derby second was settled in third on the inside as Storm The Stars, who finished third in the Investec Derby, took them along.

Jack Hobbs, switched out turning for home, moved into second entering the straight.

He cruised up behind the leader and was going so well that he was in front with a furlong and half remaining.

The colt soon went clear and won impressively by five lengths from Storm The Stars, with a further five and a half lengths back to the third Giovanni Canaletto, who had come home fourth in the Investec Derby.

The winning time for the 150th running of the Irish Derby was 2m 34.93s on ground described as good to firm.

John Gosden commented: "It was genuine good-to-firm ground and it is nice to see the form from the Investec Derby at Epsom working out so solidly.

"Jack Hobbs did it in good style. He got a nice split at the head of the straight. He travelled really well and William just waited after he came at the head of the straight, and I loved the way he finished off his race.

"The second horse has run a blinder and he was third at Epsom.

"We will put Jack Hobbs away now and go for the Prix Niel and then on to the Arc (Group One, Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Longchamp, France, October 4).

"We'll just try and have those two runs this year - he needs a holiday now. He's big, rangy and quite light-framed, and he needs to fill out.

"He's bred by Willie Carson and I loved the horse when I saw him. Jacks Hobbs has turned out well."

A thrilled William Buick added: "This horse is improving all the time and has been handled brilliantly by John.

"Patsy (Cosgrave on Storm The Stars) was going to ride his own race in front, but I always wanted him to be my target. We got a clear run and it went pretty smoothly in the end.

"It went as I hoped - Jack Hobbs is a great horse. When you ride a horse like this, they make everything so much easier. He has come a long way in a short space of time. He has been a late-maturing horse, but he has really come to himself now. He is a serious performer.

"I had a lot of belief in him before Epsom and he has done even better today. It is fantastic to win an Irish Derby.

"It is brilliant for Sheikh Mohammed and all the Godolphin team who all work so hard behind the scenes.

"Jack Hobbs stays a mile and a half and would be as effective at a mile and a quarter. As you saw there, he has got a great turn of foot. We went a fairly steady gallop and he picked up well off it. He's going to be a force to be reckoned with."

Godolphin has also won the Irish Derby with Balanchine in 1994.