Sober Glory

The Newbury record alone is worth dwelling on. Three visits, three wins — including a Class 1 victory in February 2025, one of the top races in Britain. That kind of course dominance is rare. Some horses simply love a particular track, and Sober Glory has made Newbury something close to a personal playground. The most recent of those wins came just two months ago, suggesting this horse is in the form of its life right now.

Not everything has gone smoothly. There was an unexplained flop at Sandown that joint trainer Philip Hobbs freely admits still has no answer — his bluntest explanation being that the horse might have had a headache. Before and after that run, though, the form is noticeably better. A recent second at Cheltenham told its own story: Sober Glory jumped brilliantly for almost the entire race, got distracted by the crowd fifty yards from the final fence, and lost momentum at the worst possible moment. Hobbs called it annoying more than anything — which says a lot about how good the run actually was.

The yard behind the horse — Philip Hobbs and Johnson White, based in Somerset — has sent out 37 winners this season, so this isn't a one-horse operation. But Sober Glory stands out even in that company. Hobbs has noted that there's been consistent market support for the horse, with punters seemingly confident about its chances before the off. That kind of backing, combined with strong clock times, suggests the performances are as good as they look rather than the result of weak opposition. With chasing said to be on the agenda next season, this horse looks like it is still finding its ceiling.