LONDON // John Gosden has revealed he was inundated with offers for Jack Hobbs before Godolphin stepped in to purchase a share in the leading contender for the Derby at Epsom next Saturday.
Jack Hobbs is a raw, good-looking colt who made his racecourse debut in a maiden on Wolverhampton’s Tapeta surface in December, before he demolished a field of handicappers by 12 lengths at Sandown in April. He then ran second to stablemate Golden Horn in the Group 2 Dante Stakes at York two weeks ago and is set to grace Epsom under William Buick, Gosden’s former jockey.
“The bids came strong after he won at Wolverhampton; I got a bid from Australia the day afterwards,” Gosden said.
“When he won at Sandown the whole world was after him. I found that quite stressful to train a horse that is receiving that kind of attention, so I was glad something was done.”
Jack Hobbs had been owned by a small syndicate headed up by Gosden’s wife, Rachel, which now owns 50 per cent of the colt, although Jack Hobbs will run in the 236th edition of the Derby in the Royal Blue of Godolphin.
The deal was brokered by Blandford Bloodstoock.
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“I was getting pretty annoyed with the whole process,” Gosden said. “I wasn’t enjoying it, from the moment he won at Wolverhampton the phone didn’t stop ringing. It was a distraction for me and you don’t need that situation.”
Jack Hobbs was favourite for the Derby before he finished behind Golden Horn, who is set to be supplemented on Monday at a cost of £75,000 (Dh423,387) to owner and former De Beers Diamonds president Anthony Oppenheimer.
No horse has reversed Dante form in the Derby, although Workforce finished second in the York race in 2010 before going one better when it mattered most in the Derby.
The Derby carries a purse of £1.325 million and Oppenheimer would see a return on his investment should Golden Horn finish no worse than fourth.
Jack Hobbs is by Halling, a horse Gosden trained before he was transferred to Godolphin.
Halling finished down the field in the inaugural Dubai World Cup in 1996 but he went on to secure three Group 1 races in Europe. Although best at 2,000 metres, Halling has sired horses such as Dubai Gold Cup winner Opinion Poll and Dubai World Cup Carnival stalwart and stayer Cavalryman.
“I’m pretty sure Jack Hobbs will get the trip,” Gosden said.
He said that Golden Horn “on account of his laid-back attitude — you are not going to see him grabbing the bit up that long stiff hill”.
On Tuesday Godolphin announced they were continuing their spending spree in Europe with the purchase of Birchwood, an impressive juvenile winner at Newbury this month.
As with recent purchases, such as Lightning Moon and Log Out Island, Birchwood will remain with his trainer, Richard Fahey, and not be absorbed in to the Newmarket yards of Saeed bin Suroor or Charlie Appleby.
Following the win at Newbury, Fahey suggested the colt would not run at Royal Ascot.
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