In an exclusive Daily Star interview with Jon Lees, Harry Cobden expresses his hopes of signing off on a high with 14-time champion trainer Paul Nicholls before joining forces with JP McManus as his number one jockey in May
HARRY COBDEN wants to write the perfect ending to one chapter of his storied career – by riding a winner for the Paul Nicholls stable at the Cheltenham Festival.
In May he will join forces with billionaire JP McManus, the most powerful owner in jump racing, filling boots once worn by Sir AP McCoy by becoming his number one jockey in Britain and Ireland.
Until then his primary focus is on continuing to deliver on the track for the 14-time champion jumps trainer and nothing will be better than landing the Turners’ Novices’ Hurdle with No Drama This End.
“It would be lovely, wouldn’t it?” said Cobden. “I’ve got this new job starting in May but it doesn’t mean that I’ve finished with Paul Nicholls. I will still ride out for him and ride as many horses as I can for him.
“It would be special because the Barber family have been extremely supportive right through my career in Ditcheat and so is Max McNeill.
“It would be great for English racing in particular to have a horse like No Drama This End that started off in English point-to-points to hopefully go right through the ranks.”
No Drama This End is unbeaten in three starts over hurdles, capturing the Grade One Challow Hurdle in December dominant fashion.
“Cheltenham is another step forward again and he probably needs to take that himself,” he continued. “He can only beat what’s in front of him. He’s got a lot going for him. You can’t pick too many faults in him.”
Among other likely Nicholls Festival mounts are Regent’s Stroll, in the Jack Richards Novices’ Handicap Chase, Quebecois (Ultima), Pourquoi Pas Papa or Minella Yoga (Fred Winter), while he also expects to be aboard Emma Lavelle-trained Cleeve Hurdle winner Ma Shantou in the Stayers’ Hurdle.
“Paul is sending a small, select team,” said Cobden. “He’s not going to run horses for the sake of it. Ma Shantou must be right up there with the best of the British in the Stayers.”
Growing up on Nicholls’s doorstep Somerset farmer’s son Cobden knew his vocation from an early age.
“Paul was a local trainer to me and the days that would stand out to me were the Kauto Star and Denman days, watching Ruby Walsh ride all those winners on Big Buck’s and Master Minded.
“They were days I will never really forget. When Kauto won his second Gold Cup that was pretty memorable.”
Cobden, who has six Festival wins to his name, continued: “I was still at school then but I’d started pony racing at the age of nine and as soon as I’d had my first pony race I wanted to be like AP McCoy and Ruby Walsh. Then I would have been happy to lead one up at Cheltenham, let alone ride one.
“I haven’t had oceans of Cheltenham Festival winners. There have been some nice days out but I’ve been very lucky to have ridden as many nice horses as I’ve had. It’s pretty incredible how far I’ve come in the last ten years.”
■ Harry Cobden is a Paddy Power ambassador
■ The Cheltenham Festival takes place from Tuesday,10th–Friday, 13th March. Tickets to all four days are still available at www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/cheltenham-festival/