Fred Hobson
1842 -1899
1842 -1899
Frederick George Hobson was born in 1842 in Baldock, Hertfordshire, the son of George Hobson, who owned the 1850 Oaks winner Rhedycina. He was educated at Eton and was at one time connected with a brewery, but, due to the amount of time he devoted to hunting and horse racing, his partners bought him out.
Frederick George Hobson was born in 1842 in Baldock, Hertfordshire, the son of George Hobson, who owned the 1850 Oaks winner Rhedycina. He was educated at Eton and was at one time connected with a brewery, but, due to the amount of time he devoted to hunting and horse racing, his partners bought him out.
Known affectionately as ‘The Squire’, he lived for most of his life in Hertfordshire where he hunted with the Puckeridge Foxhounds. His racing colours were scarlet, white sash, blue cap.
Known affectionately as ‘The Squire’, he lived for most of his life in Hertfordshire where he hunted with the Puckeridge Foxhounds. His racing colours were scarlet, white sash, blue cap.
Fred had an unorthodox riding style of catching hold of the back of the saddle with his right hand when landing over a fence. His reason for adopting this practice, he insisted, was that by so doing it minimised the strain on the horse’s shoulders. His style had its critics and arguably he did not receive due credit due for his ability as a jockey but it obviously worked because he suffered very few falls during his career.
Fred had an unorthodox riding style of catching hold of the back of the saddle with his right hand when landing over a fence. His reason for adopting this practice, he insisted, was that by so doing it minimised the strain on the horse’s shoulders. His style had its critics and arguably he did not receive due credit due for his ability as a jockey but it obviously worked because he suffered very few falls during his career.
Moreover, he was champion amateur rider in 1867 with 36 winners from 122 mounts. At that time, it was the highest score ever recorded by an amateur rider in a calendar year. Among his best horses that year were Patience, Liston, Quirina and Black Swan, all of whom were multiple winners. He enjoyed plenty of success at the London suburban tracks such as Croydon, West Drayton, Ealing, Kingsbury and Bromley. Many of those venues were notorious for the presence of thieves, welshers and pick-pockets and they had all long since disappeared by the end of the century.
Moreover, he was champion amateur rider in 1867 with 36 winners from 122 mounts. At that time, it was the highest score ever recorded by an amateur rider in a calendar year. Among his best horses that year were Patience, Liston, Quirina and Black Swan, all of whom were multiple winners. He enjoyed plenty of success at the London suburban tracks such as Croydon, West Drayton, Ealing, Kingsbury and Bromley. Many of those venues were notorious for the presence of thieves, welshers and pick-pockets and they had all long since disappeared by the end of the century.
Among the best horses he rode was Harvester, not to be confused with the horse of that name who dead-heated with St. Gatien in the 1884 Derby. Fred rode this particular Harvester just once, and won on him, before selling him to Arthur Yates, for whom He won several steeplechases including the Great Metropolitan at Croydon in 1871.
Among the best horses he rode was Harvester, not to be confused with the horse of that name who dead-heated with St. Gatien in the 1884 Derby. Fred rode this particular Harvester just once, and won on him, before selling him to Arthur Yates, for whom He won several steeplechases including the Great Metropolitan at Croydon in 1871.
In 1876 he bought a horse named Hampton and sent him to be trained by Robert Peck. On December 5 that year he rode him to victory in the Great Maiden Hurdle at Sandown Park by six lengths at 10-1. That must have proved one of the best bets of all time because the following year, 1877, Fred had the pleasure of seeing him win the Goodwood Cup, Doncaster Cup and Ebor Handicap, ridden on all three occasions by Fred Webb.
In 1876 he bought a horse named Hampton and sent him to be trained by Robert Peck. On December 5 that year he rode him to victory in the Great Maiden Hurdle at Sandown Park by six lengths at 10-1. That must have proved one of the best bets of all time because the following year, 1877, Fred had the pleasure of seeing him win the Goodwood Cup, Doncaster Cup and Ebor Handicap, ridden on all three occasions by Fred Webb.
Earlier that year, Fred had achieved his greatest success in the saddle on Austerlitz in the 1877 Grand National, becoming one of the select band of owner-riders to have steered his horse to victory in the race. Austerlitz was prominent from the start and made virtually all the running, coming home four lengths clear of Congress. Austerlitz was just the third five-year-old and one of the very few entire horses to win the Grand National.
Earlier that year, Fred had achieved his greatest success in the saddle on Austerlitz in the 1877 Grand National, becoming one of the select band of owner-riders to have steered his horse to victory in the race. Austerlitz was prominent from the start and made virtually all the running, coming home four lengths clear of Congress. Austerlitz was just the third five-year-old and one of the very few entire horses to win the Grand National.
Fred married the youngest child of John Gully. They had two children, Arthur and Laura. Arthur rode several winners on the Flat. In the opinion of many, he would have become an even better rider over fences than his father, had his mother not objected to trying to emulate his father at steeplechasing. Fred’s wife eventually divorced him and married Arthur Yates.
Fred married the youngest child of John Gully. They had two children, Arthur and Laura. Arthur rode several winners on the Flat. In the opinion of many, he would have become an even better rider over fences than his father, had his mother not objected to trying to emulate his father at steeplechasing. Fred’s wife eventually divorced him and married Arthur Yates.
With his hair carefully parted down the middle, and short, curly, side-whiskers, Fred Hobson was a popular figure in the hunting fields and on the racecourse. He died in London on April 9, 1899, aged 56.
With his hair carefully parted down the middle, and short, curly, side-whiskers, Fred Hobson was a popular figure in the hunting fields and on the racecourse. He died in London on April 9, 1899, aged 56.