Godolphin’s Jack Hobbs delivers at Irish Derby

The John Gosden-trained colt found stable companion Golden Horn too hot to handle in the both the Dante at York and in the Epsom Derby, but with his old rival back in Newmarket, Jack Hobbs was favourite to win and deliver the goods.

Jack Hobbs, with jockey William Buick aboard, won the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby on Saturday. Steve Davies/Racingfotos.com

Godolphin’s Jack Hobbs turned in a brilliant performance to win the 150th Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh on Saturday.

The John Gosden-trained colt found stable companion Golden Horn too hot to handle in the both the Dante at York and in the Epsom Derby, but with his old rival back in Newmarket being prepared for next week’s Coral-Eclipse, Jack Hobbs was favourite to win and deliver the goods.

He broke smartly under William Buick, carrying the blue of Godolphin, before being taken back to settle in third place.

Read more:

Epsom third-place finisher Storm The Stars carried the field for much of the mile-and-a-half journey, but Jack Hobbs loomed alongside before straightening up for home.

Once let down by Buick, who ensured there was never any likelihood of being hemmed in by Giovanni Canaletto off the turn, Gosden’s charge quickly asserted and galloped on for a runaway success.

Storm The Stars ran an excellent race from the front in second, with Giovanni Canaletto back in third.

Gosden said: “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’ll put him away and go for the Prix Niel and then on to the Arc (Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe). He needs a holiday. He’s a big, rangy horse and he needs some time to fill out.”

Buick said: “That was fantastic. He’s a great horse. I had a lot of belief in him before Epsom and he was even better today.

“It’s fantastic to win an Irish Derby, but it’s just great to ride horses like him. For Sheikh Mohammed (bin Rashid, Vice President of the UAE and ruler of Dubai) and all the (Godolphin) team, it means everything to us. Everyone works very hard behind the scenes and to get days like this is brilliant.”

Follow us on Twitter at NatSportUAE