IT all started with Rushing Wild, his first runner way back in 2011, but Swan Hill trainer Nathan Hobson will be celebrating another milestone in his colourful career on Sunday when his horse Reward With Return makes its 100th start for him.
The annual Swan Hill Cup Carnival has been a happy hunting ground for Hobson through the years, including six winners at the 2018 event.
A spectacular result, but one which was topped when Darren Weir managed seven at the same time, to be named trainer of the carnival.
Fast forward to 2022 and Hobson won’t be going anywhere near that golden performance – he will only be involved on Friday.
But it’s not every day you get to lead out a horse for its 100th start at the same stable.
And everyone at the stable will hope Reward With Return can return to the form of its most recent start – a win at Murray Bridge on May 28 with top SA jockey Jess Eaton in the saddle. Ten days before that, the horse took out a trial at Tatura.
“I bought him as a yearling and he’s been a good, solid performer for us over the years,” Hobson said.
“And he’s in pretty good form right now, after being in the paddocks for the past 15 weeks – his trial win and then the run in South Australia to win there as well all tells me this boy is jumping out of his skin and I am pretty hopeful he’ll be a chance on the day.”
From his 99 starts, the Reward For Effort gelding has amassed prizemoney of $383,239 with 14 career wins plus eight seconds and 14 thirds.
Hobson took a blue-ribbon path on the road to becoming a horse trainer.
The former carpenter benefited from time spent with fellow Swan Hill trainer Austy Coffey, whose advice helped Hobson really learn the ropes with trainers such as Darren Weir, Brian Mayfield-Smith and David Hayes before turning full-time trainer in 2011 – with good old Rushing Wild.
It never got close to 100 starts for its fledgling trainer, and only won a fraction of the money generated by Return With Reward, but both horses will always hold a spot in Hobson’s heart.
