Harry Cobden draws level with Sean Bowen in jockeys' title race after victory on smart Champion Bumper hope

Harry Cobden has drawn level with longtime jockeys' championship leader Sean Bowen after steering Teeshan to success in the final race of the day at Exeter, a result which leaves both riders on 121 winners for the season.

Cobden had drawn a blank with his first four chances on the day – including defeat at 7-5 aboard Tahmuras in the opener – but scored in the bumper, after which Betfair cut Teeshan to 6-1 for Cheltenham's Champion Bumper (from 14) on March 13 following his seven-length debut success for Paul Nicholls.

Cobden is now a best-priced 1-3 to land his first jockeys' title, having been 30 winners adrift on the morning of December 26, the day when Bowen suffered a knee injury at Aintree.

That deficit was down to four when Bowen returned at Huntingdon on Thursday but he is so far winless from five rides, while Cobden has booted home 15 from 49 runners in the last fortnight

Bowen is a general 9-4 chance to win the race for what would also be his first championship.

The season concludes on April 27 and Bowen will hope to regain momentum when he travels to Catterick for three rides on Monday – starting with a likely short-priced favourite in Pickanumber for his main backer Olly Murphy in the maiden hurdle at 1.30. Bowen also has three chances at Lingfield on Tuesday.

Over the same period of time Cobden has only a single mount at Plumpton on Monday.

Read this next:

No Cheltenham but owner John Hales believes Caldwell Potter is 'exceptional' and can win a Gold Cup