Jockey Harry Cobden is hungry for more success in the 2019/20 Jump Jockeys’ Championship after a superb win aboard Give Me A Copper in the Badger Beers Silver Trophy Handicap Chase at Wincanton marked a first significant victory of the season.
The 21-year-old, who has been announced as an ambassador for Great British Racing, said: "Saturday felt like when the season really got started.
"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."
Cobden, who has 34 wins to his name this season to put him in seventh in the 2019/20 Jump Jockeys’ Championship, heads for the prestigious three-day November Meeting at Cheltenham which takes place this Friday-Sunday.
It is a fixture that is close to the Somerset-based jockey's heart, as he said: “This weekend is when I managed to win my first Graded race in the 2015 Greatwood Hurdle with Old Guard.
"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 jockey's career."
One horse Cobden is looking forward to getting back aboard during the fixture is Getaway Trump.
The pair enjoyed success together in the bet365 Novices' Championship Final Handicap Hurdle on the bet365 Jump Finale day at Sandown last season.
“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 said. "He’ll have improved massively in terms of fitness and I think he’s got a really good chance at the November Meeting."
This is Cobden’s second season as stable jockey for 11-time champion trainer Paul Nicholls. Discussing the excitement for the campaign, Cobden said: “We have the big guns Clan Des Obeaux, Cyrname, Dynamite Dollars and Politologue, who are all in good form but there is a strong team behind them and the horses are starting to run really well. Morale is good in the yard, everyone’s happy, so hopefully we’ll have a good year."
The 2016/17 Champion Conditional Jockey, continued to highlight some of the big names he is hoping to triumph with this season, saying: "Clan Des Obeaux was in the Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal a week or so ago and he ran an absolute blinder finishing second.
"I think he’s improved from last season and has got a massive chance in the King George VI Chase and then hopefully the Cheltenham Gold Cup after that.
“Cyrname is in great form, he’ll run on November 23 at Ascot, in the Christy 1965 Chase, probably taking on Altior in what would be one of the best races of the season. He’s going extremely well - I schooled him the other day and was really pleased with him, although I don’t sit on him often as he’s quite strong!
"Dynamite Dollars is another top horse. He has just come back into work after a slight injury at the end of last season but he looks amazing. Fingers crossed he’ll be able to rediscover the ability he showed last year.2
Discussing the contest he’d most like to win, Cobden said: “The one race I’d most like to win this season is the Cheltenham Gold Cup, it’s a race I’ve always had my eyes on. If someone asked me Gold Cup or Grand National, I’d say Gold Cup because it’s usually the best horse in the country that wins that race."
Harry Cobden is an ambassador for Great British Racing for the 2019/20 Jump Jockeys’ Championship