Paul Nicholls number one retained rider Harry Cobden bought up his 400th career winner at Plumpton on Monday and the youngster is now all systems go for a shot at the jumps jockeys championship.
The 21 year old rider has made his best ever star to a season with 37 winners at this stage of the campaign which is a remarkable effort and that figure truly puts him in the mix for a shot at the title.
Last season Cobden was nowhere near the winner Brian Hughes, however this term there are plenty of names in the hat in what looks the most open Jockeys championship for over 30 years with other names like Richard Johnson, Harry Skelton and Paddy Brennan are all in with a chance alongside the two already named.
Cobden has tasted success at the highest level during his career so far with Grade One Cheltenham festival winners and also landing the champion conditional a few seasons back and now his next step will be to go for the main jockeys title.
Top training performance… Amour De Nuit returns from a 617-day absence to score for @CobdenHarry and @PFNicholls at @plumptonraces pic.twitter.com/oMbquvCDcY
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) November 2, 2020
(Credit Racing Post) The rider believes it will be hard to catch last year's winner Brian Hughes and said: "I've made my best ever start to the season and long may it continue. Obviously I'm second in the championship I believe at present so I would think I'm in with a chance of being champion jockey but I expect Brian Hughes to be difficult to beat again."
He added: "Thanks to the boss Paul Nicholls and others that have supported me for helping me get off to a flyer. I rode 83 winners last year before racing was stopped and it could well have been many more as we had plenty primed for Aintree, Ayr and Sandown before racing was called off in March."
Cobden landed 109 winners in the 2017-2018 campaign and he will need to go better than that to go close for the accolade this term.
He added: "Things are going well and I've got a full book of seven rides at Exeter on Tuesday so hopefully a few of those can win and I have some nice rides at the weekend at Wincanton.
"They include Solo in the Grade 2 Elite Hurdle and Grand Sancy in the Grade 2 novices' chase. Obviously riding that calibre of horse will increase my chances of giving Brian and Richard Johnson a run for their money."