Unfashionable Scottish-bred shoots for stars

The John Moore-trained Jacobee has slipped into Derby contention under the radar and probably won't be one of the 'talk horses', but the Scottish-bred four-year-old is used to that.

Scottish-bred? Yes, lining up against blue bloods from some of the great farms of Britain, Europe and Australasia will be a humble Scot-bred who has already stamped himself as an over-performer against that background.

'The breeding industry in Scotland is very small, due mainly to the inclement weather - it always seems to rain,' said Jacobee's breeders, Sandy and Lucille Bone, of the Triple H Stud - a small farm on Scotland's west coast, 32 kilometres from Glasgow.

'The fields are difficult to manage and, with better weather in England, most of the breeding industry in Britain is based there. We have about 14 horses, foals and yearlings. Our pets. Breeding horses for us is still a labour of love, and love it we do.'

Jacobee is the second foal from their mare, Sweet Cando, and they confess, she wasn't a great racehorse.

'She won only once, with many places, but above all, she was a trier with a great attitude to succeed,' said Sandy Bone. 'But her first foal, a filly called Haemeildaeme - a Scottish phrase for those who prefer to stay at home - was Group Two placed and fourth in a Group One in North America.'