Harry Cobden is targeting another big weekend at Cheltenham’s November Meeting, after kick-starting his campaign with victory in the Badger Beers Trophy Handicap Chase at Wincanton on Saturday.
Cobden produced Give Me A Copper right on time to give trainer Paul Nicholls, for whom he is stable jockey, a tenth win in the race, and seal his first high-profile victory of the new National Hunt season.
“Saturday felt like when the season really got started,” Cobden said. “I was overjoyed with Give Me A Copper’s win, he travelled beautifully into the race and we just had enough in the tank to hold off the fast finishing Soupy Soups.
“It was an incredible tenth win in the race for the boss Paul Nicholls, too. The action now comes thick and fast, and I’m hoping for plenty more days like that.”
Attention now turns to the three-day November Meeting at Prestbury Park, which gets underway on Friday, where Cobden’s book of rides will include the well thought of Getaway Trump and Grade 1 winning hurdler Quel Destin.
Cobden enjoyed his first ever graded winner at the meeting, back in 2015, and hopes for similar success this time around, with Getaway Trump a particularly fancied runner.
“This weekend is when I managed to win my first Graded race in the 2015 Greatwood Hurdle with Old Guard,” Cobden said.
“I remember that day well, there wasn’t much expectation, so I just went out to enjoy the race and then somehow, I found myself in front, jumping the last, and he won really well. An amazing day and a big day for a young jockeys’ career.
“Getaway Trump has been great at home, in fine order and I think he will come on a lot from finishing third in his last race. He’ll have improved massively in terms of fitness and I think he’s got a really good chance at the November Meeting.”
Harry Cobden is an ambassador for Great British Racing for the 2019-20 Jump Jockeys’ Championship.
