Harry Cobden seals jump jockeys' championship title with double at Chepstow

Harry Cobden secured his first British jump jockeys' title after two victories at Chepstow on the penultimate day of the season ensured he could not be caught by challenger Sean Bowen at Sandown on Saturday.

Bowen trailed Cobden by six winners going into racing on Friday but was able to ride only one winner at Perth, leaving Cobden to take the championship courtesy of his win on the Henry Daly-trained Spring Gale in the 2m3½f mares' maiden hurdle.

Cobden followed up with victory on Florencethemachine in the concluding 2m7½f handicap hurdle and with Bowen set for just four rides at Sandown, Cobden cannot now be caught and will be crowned champion jockey. 

"Lovely job," Cobden told Sky Sport Racing following his success on Spring Gale. "Someone asked me earlier on, they said, 'You look like you’re going to win it, how do you feel?' and it's like having a birthday – it feels like something special has happened but it hasn't really sunk in I suppose."

On the winning mare, Cobden added: "She's very tough, Henry gave me the perfect instructions, he said she stays well and she's good and hardy and that's exactly what she is. She'll jump a fence one day and she'll be a nice mare."

The double marked Cobden's 164th winner of the season, a career-best winning tally which has also seen him surpass £3 million in prize-money for the first time. He will bid to improve on his record with six rides at Sandown on Saturday, including Hitman in the Grade 2 bet365 Oaksey Chase and Threeunderthrufive in the feature bet365 Gold Cup.

Bowen, who claimed five winners this week prior to Saturday's fixture, will finish runner-up in the title race for the second year in a row after being unable to flip the script on Cobden's relentless campaign, which saw him pick up almost 200 more rides than his previous highest tally.

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