Legend has it that, when the horse fairies dance, magical and unexpected things will happen. So it was on such a day in 1839 when Lottery won the inaugural running of the Aintree Grand National. Afterwards, the fairies decreed that “Henceforth Lottery’s name shall signify not only magical and unexpected events, but also joy and sorrow- and no small measure of disbelief.” Off and on for years did the fairies dance on Grand National Day but, on a winter’s day in 1920, they broke tradition and danced for a human child....... Bruce Robertson Hobbs was born on Long Island, New York, on 27th December, 1920. Bruce’s father, Reg Hobbs, was Master Of The Horse to sewing machine heir, Ambrose Clark- who was to win the Grand National in 1933 with Kellsboro Jack. Reg prepared hunters and show ponies for Clark but, when young Bruce was only two years old, he moved the family back to Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire- to take charge of Clark’s hunters in the Midlands. Bruce’s grandfather, Tom Hobbs, also kept hunters in Leicestershire- at Great Bowden. From the outset, Reg Hobbs was determined that his son, Bruce, would be a polished horseman. Having sat him on a horse at three years of age, he gave him demanding tuition throughout his boyhood- and Bruce was soon winning pony championships. Ambrose Clark, meanwhile, gave up hunting and established Reg as a steeplechase trainer -at Lambourn in 1931. In 1934, Bruce was installed as the stable’s amateur jockey, although he was well over six feet tall. By 1936, he had ridden ten winners and, having neglected to renew his permit, he turned professional twenty four hours before his sixteenth birthday- and proceeded to ride two winners at Wolverhampton. The next two years were simply ‘magical’ for the young professional jockey- but I’ll save that for the end of the story! Tragically, the fates then conspired against him. Not long before his eighteenth birthday, he broke his spine in a crashing fall in a seller at Cheltenham. After three months in hospital, he was told he would be crippled for life- and would never ride again. However, his great determination enabled him to defy that prognosis and he was back in the saddle four months later, riding Fulke Walwyn’s first ever National Hunt winner, Poor Duke, in April, 1939. Five months later, his life – like everyone else’s- was thrown upside down by the advent of the Second World War. After winning the Military Cross in the North Africa campaign, he was demobbed and returned home with a body weight of 14st 7lbs. Though losing three stones, he realised his riding career was at an end, and he took out a private trainer’s licence at Wantage- on behalf of John Rogerson and Solly Joel- two owners who would have much National Hunt success later on with Bob Turnell. With only a dozen horses in his care, nonetheless he did manage to win several good races, including the Aintree Grand Sefton with War Risk, in 1946. Yet, with such a small string, his operation became unviable and he soon found himself unemployed and in considerable difficulties. For the next five years, life was very hard- he joined both George Beeby and then Cecil Boyd-Rochfort as assistant trainer but left them both when he saw no prospects of ‘taking over.’ After a year effectively ‘out of racing,’ he then joined Jack Clayton as assistant trainer at Bedford Lodge in 1962. Three years later, in 1965, his big break arrived. After spending a year as private trainer to TV magnate, David Robinson- and showing considerable talent, four owners (Tom Blackwell, Jocelyn Hambro, Jim Phillips, and David Wills) formed a company to establish Bruce in the Palace House, Newmarket Stables. John Rogerson came back to him, and wealthy patrons, Lord Rosebery and George Cambanis, sent him horses. In a twenty year spell at Palace House, he may have only won one classic (Irish Derby-Tyrnavos), but he enjoyed many big race successes with top sprinter, Stilvi, and subsequently her offspring- Tromos, Tachypous, Tolmi, and Tyrnavos. Other big winners included Richmond Fair, Touch Paper, Catherine Wheel, Vielle, Acclimatise, Jacinth, Tumbledown Wind, and Cry of Truth. In 1985, Bruce Hobbs retired and was elected to the Jockey Club. It is fair to say that great determination, resilience, and no small measure of talent, marked his life as a hard fought success story. Twenty years later, in 2005, Bruce Hobbs was in the final minutes of his mortal days. He recollected all the wonderful memories of a life fulfilled, but one magical memory dominated all the others...... In 1938, the young seventeen year old professional had ridden over thirty winners during that season- and was lucky enough to be riding in the Grand National – on Battleship, an eleven year old entire trained by his father, Reg Hobbs, for American owner, Marion Dupont Scott- who was married to film star, Randolph Scott. Battleship had won the American Grand National as a seven year old (among other races in the USA) and was then sent to compete in the UK. However, the handicapper did him no favours in allotting him 11st 6lbs. The race produced a gruelling finish... After jumping the last behind Irish challenger, Royal Danieli, Bruce Hobbs conjured one last, desperate effort from his muscular, small sized mount. With flailing arms and heels dug in, Battleship responded and, in the shadow of the post, stuck out his neck to win. Whatever the depth of your sensibility, you have to believe that no other jockey felt greater exhilaration and excitement than that experienced by young seventeen year old Bruce Hobbs on that memorable day in 1938. He still remains the youngest jockey ever to win Aintree’s great marathon- on the smallest ever horse and the last successful entire. Two weeks later his exhilaration soared even higher when he won the Welsh Grand National on Timber Wolf- and then completed a memorable treble by winning the American version at Cedarhurst, Long Island. As Bruce smiled and slowly closed his eyes for the final time, the fairies danced into his room. They flitted across his brow and gently reached out to tap his soul. As he died, the fairies nodded in unison and gave their consent- the magical memory would follow him into the afterlife.
Fascinating piece Tam. I vaguely remember Tolmi,a filly I think,and Tyrnavos as a young lad. I had Tyrnavos in a 10p yankee when he won the Irish Derby at 25/1(think!) but the other three went down...unfortunately these were the days before the old lucky 15!
Onya Tam. I came across some of this stuff a while back, but just skimmed over the top of it. Thanks for digging deep. It's nice to be able to sit back and enjoy someone else's hard work.
Another great article Tam. I remember a few of them but most notably Jacinth, a cracking 2yo filly. Not sure she trained on though.
Great piece Battleship was by Man o War and raced 55 times. He sired 58 foals including an American Grand National winner. He died in 1958. I'm sure I have a book with a photo of him somewhere.
