Jack Hobbs

Willie Carson may always be best remembered for his achievements in the saddle, which included five British championships and 17 British Classic victories, with four Derby successes among them, but he has also enjoyed some memorable moments as a breeder.

Carson achieved one very special triumph–that of winning a Classic on a colt he had bred. This was Minster Son, a colt whose sire Niniski had won the St Leger equivalents in Ireland and France with Carson in the saddle.

Now Minster Stud, which Carson operates with his wife Elaine, has produced Jack Hobbs, a colt with the potential to be even better than Minster Son, who achieved a Timeform rating of 130. This runner-up in the Derby franked the Epsom form in no uncertain terms by coming home five lengths clear in the Irish Derby–a race Carson won twice as a jockey, on the excellent Troy in 1979 and on the filly Salsabil in 1990.

Another important player in Jack Hobbs's story is Sheikh Mohammed, together with his Godolphin operation. The colt's sire Halling and broodmare sire Swain both enjoyed terrific success in Godolphin's blue colors. There is also a link to Jack Hobbs's trainer John Gosden, as it was he who transformed Halling into a potential group performer for Sheikh Mohammed. Halling's first success came off a mark of 75 in a handicap at Ripon in the August of his 3-year-old season, but it wasn't long before Halling decisively won one of Britain's most competitive handicaps, the Cambridgeshire.

Halling was immediately transferred to Godolphin and he was soon in action in the UAE, where he reeled off three impressive victories over the Nad al Sheba dirt track. The full extent of Halling's improvement didn't become apparent, though, until he was returned to turf, back in England. After holding off Singspiel to take the G1 Eclipse S., the 4-year-old son of Diesis went on to take the Juddmonte International–victories he was to repeat as a 5-year-old, when he also took the G1 Prix d'Ispahan.

Swain was another who didn't become a Group 1 winner until the age of four. Andre Fabre must originally have considered this son of Nashwan to be a stayer, as Swain's first three starts came over a mile and three-quarters. He won all three in the colors of his breeder Sheikh Mohammed to earn a chance of proving himself over a mile and a half. Swain did well to finish third in Lammtarra's Arc and then became a Group 1 winner at four, when–like Halling in the Eclipse–he led throughout to record a narrow victory over Singspiel, this time in the Coronation Cup.

Swain was even better at the ages of five and six, when he captured consecutive editions of the King George. He also confirmed at the age of six that he was hard to beat over a mile and a quarter, winning the Irish Champion S. as well as going close to landing two of the world's richest dirt prizes–the Dubai World Cup and Breeders' Cup Classic.

Bearing in mind that Halling and Swain took some time to display their very best form, it is easy to understand John Ferguson's recent comment that:

“When Sheikh Mohammed bought [into] Jack Hobbs…we really felt his future was as a 4- and 5-year-old.
“The fact that he's been second in the Derby at Epsom and the winner of an Irish Derby is just an unbelievable bonus.”
I would concur that the best is almost certainly still to come from Jack Hobbs, for whom the Arc now beckons. The question is whether he can progress quickly enough over the next few months to narrow the sizeable gap between himself and his two-time conqueror Golden Horn.

A lengthy racing career probably awaits Jack Hobbs, as his earnings potential is considerable (remember, both his sire Halling and broodmare sire Swain did well enough on dirt to suggest that Jack Hobbs is worth considering for the Dubai World Cup).

There is also the consideration that his pedigree isn't especially fashionable–hence his yearling price of 60,000gns. Although Halling proved himself easily the best of Diesis's stallion sons, with a perfectly admirable record, he has enjoyed more success at tiers two and three than at the top level. Jack Hobbs is just his fourth Group 1 winner, compared to 14 Group 2 winners and 10 Group 3 winners. Halling hasn't so far had many chances to prove himself as a sire of sires, relying principally on Norse Dancer, who has done well with limited opportunities.

The story of Swain's stallion career is encapsulated in the fact that he started out at a fee of $35,000 and ended up in Canada, at a fee of C$3,500. Along the way he sired just one Grade I winner, the filly Dimitrova (Flower Bowl Invitational S.). Perhaps he would have fared better had he been based in Europe rather than Kentucky.
Willie Carson has been sending Jack Hobbs's dam Swain's Gold to much speedier stallions since her visit to Halling. She has a 2-year-old colt by Equiano, a yearling colt by Mayson and a filly foal by Sepoy.

It is interesting to speculate about what it was that appealed to Carson when Swain's Gold was bought for Minster Stud by James Delahooke for $180,000 at Keeneland's 2007 January Sale. There are several possibilities.

For a start, the mare is a granddaughter of Nashwan, arguably the best horse that Carson ever rode. In the space of less than three months the partnership won the 2,000 Guineas, Derby, Eclipse and King George.

Another possibility is that Swain's Gold's appeal stemmed partly from her having a pedigree free of the ubiquitous Northern Dancer (and of several of the other widespread influences). This widens a mare's options considerably in Europe. However, Swain's Gold's finest achievement has come with Halling, a horse with only one line to Northern Dancer. Consequently Jack Hobbs is something of a rarity in Europe, in that he has no inbreeding in his first five generations and only one line of Northern Dancer, back in the fifth generation. Jack Hobbs could therefore develop into a valuable outcross, but he probably needs to achieve superstar status to be given the chance.

Bearing in mind that James Delahooke bought her, the mare probably had an imposing physique, as does Jack Hobbs. The buyers may also have been swayed by the fact that her third dam, the unraced Golden Bloom, was bred by the late Jim Joel. What's more, she is inbred 3×4 to Queen of Light, a mare who was instrumental in helping Joel become one of the most successful owner-breeders of his era. Queen of Light's daughters Picture Light, Crystal Palace and Lovely Light all produced top winners for him, while another daughter, Chandelier, produced the champion juvenile Crocket after being sold. Jack Hobbs's fourth dam, Daffodil Day, was a half-sister to the top-class Connaught, winner of the Eclipse, having earlier–like Jack Hobbs–finished second in the Derby.

Jack Hobbs's dam Swain's Gold didn't perform at that sort of level, but she won three of her four starts, all over sprint distances, as a 3-year-old. However, she raced in Arizona, her one defeat coming at Yavapai Downs, which explains why her earnings stood at less than $27,000. Swain's Gold remained in Kentucky to be covered by Mr. Greeley after her purchase. The resultant foal, Mrs Greeley, became a fairly useful winner at up to seven furlongs and Swain's Gold is also the dam of Niceofyoutotellme, a very useful middle-distance performer. Mrs Greeley is now part of the Minster Stud broodmare band.

Jack Hobbs's second dam Golden Pond may be remembered by American racegoers, as she was a dual graded winner at four, including in the GII Orchid H. over a mile and a half. This daughter of Don't Forget Me had earlier proved herself a tough performer at up to a mile in Europe, where she won a listed race in France. Bearing in mind that Halling raced 18 times, Swain 22 times and Golden Pond 24 times, Jack Hobbs should possess the durability to become a major asset to the racing world for a few more years.

Saturday, Curragh, Ireland
150TH DUBAI DUTY FREE IRISH DERBY-G1, €1,250,000, CUR, 6-27, 3yo, c/f, 12fT, 2:34.93, g/f.
1–#@&JACK HOBBS (GB), 126, c, 3, by Halling
     1st Dam: Swain's Gold, by Swain (Ire)
     2nd Dam: Golden Pond (Ire), by Don't Forget Me (Ire)
     3rd Dam: Golden Bloom (Ire), by Main Reef (GB)
(60,000gns Yrl '13 TATOCT). O-Godolphin &
Partners; B-Minster Stud; T-John Gosden; J-William
Buick. €725,000. Lifetime Record: G1SP-Eng,
5-3-2-0, $1,277,105. *1/2 to Niceofyoutotellme (GB)
(Hernando {Fr}), GSP-Eng, $137,865. Werk Nick
Rating: C. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the Racing Post result, or the brisnet.com PPs. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.