Leading British rider Harry Cobden is set to miss the rest of the flat season and ultimately end his pursuit for the jockeys title after it was revealed that the Englishman fractured his cheekbone and will require surgery later this week.
Cobden currently sits in third in the jump jockeys’ championship, 14 winners behind Harry Skelton and defending champion Brian Hughes, but will now have to leave it to the pair of them to fight it out until April 24th at Sandown.
The rider was taken to hospital after parting company with Lucky One in the Betway Mersey Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree on Saturday and was hoping that the extent of the injury was not as bad as first feared.
AN ABSOLUTE PROCESSION IN THE BETWAY BOWL...
— The Winners Enclosure (@TWEnclosure) April 8, 2021
Clan Des Obeaux absolutely floors his rivals to provide @PFNicholls a fourth success in the Grade One Betway Bowl under @CobdenHarry at @AintreeRaces 😱
👏🏼 That was seriously impressive!
📹 @RacingTV pic.twitter.com/l9Z2VM2SLo
However, this was not to be the case and he is now set to sit out of the rest of the jumps season recuperating from his injuries and looking to be back in the summer.
Cobden has had a superb season with 123 winners and numerous Grade One wins including the Challow Hurdle, Betway Bowl and Anniversary 4-Y-O Novices' Hurdle.
He tweeted: “I went for further scans yesterday and, unfortunately, they have shown that I have got a couple of fractures in my right cheekbone. I am having an operation on Thursday, but I am out for the rest of the season (likely to be six weeks).
“Good luck to both Brian and Harry in the champion jump jockey title race. I look forward to hopefully challenging you both again next season and I hope that next season also welcomes people back on to racecourses.”