Third & Fourth In Champion Stakes

Jack Hobbs and Racing History came home third and fourth respectively in the G1 QIPCO Champion Stakes over a mile and a quarter at Ascot, UK, on Saturday, October 17.

Jack Hobbs (John Gosden/William Buick) tacked over from his wide draw and settled in second for William Buick after a furlong and a half as stable companion Maverick Wave (Robert Havlin), set a searching gallop for the 13 runners.

Jack Hobbs, a three-year-old son of Halling, travelled strongly and moved up to take the lead over two furlongs from home but could not assert his advantage and was headed by Fascinating Rock entering the final furlong.

Jack Hobbs kept on but was passed by Found with 50 yards left, finishing third, a length and three quarters behind the victorious Fascinating Rock, who scored in 2m 6.31s on ground described as good to soft, soft in places.

Racing History (Saeed bin Suroor/James Doyle) raced in mid-division for much of the race and was ridden to maintain his place with three quarters of a mile to go.

He quickened well to briefly press for second over a furlong out and stayed on to come home a length and a half behind Jack Hobbs in fourth.

John Gosden was philosophical about the result.

"I knew that draw where Jack Hobbs was [wide on 12, with only his pacemaker Maverick Wave outside him] we had to go early to get position, and that we'd probably pay for it at the end.

"The two who finished in front of us were the two I was frightened of beforehand. But I'm thrilled with Jack Hobbs even so. He showed his immaturity in the closing stages, but he'll be bigger and stronger next year.

"He's like a 15-year-old schoolboy at the moment, but like his dad [Halling] he'll come into his own at four and five."