'I don't want to do too much too early' - Harry Cobden to return to the saddle for one ride at Warwick on Thursday

Champion jump jockey Harry Cobden will return to race-riding for the first time in more than two months at Warwick on Thursday after recovering from an injury he sustained in July.

Cobden, 25, unseated from Kick Up A Storm in the early stages of a handicap hurdle at Stratford and initially expected to be out for two to three weeks with swelling to a knee.

Further investigations determined the jockey had torn a small ligament, which not only required a longer period of recuperation but also for a knee brace to be in place for six weeks.

Cobden returns for the ride on Adonis Hurdle third Captain Marvellous in the first division of the 2m novice hurdle (1.23) for trainer Jane Williams, and is eager to get back to competitive action having spent time building up for his comeback by riding out for Paul Nicholls.

He said: “I’ve been back riding for a little while and have ridden out plenty for Paul so I’m looking forward to coming back and getting going properly again.

“I don’t want to do too much too early. It’s a long year, and when you've not ridden in a race for eight weeks you don’t want to go back into it riding five or six horses a day.”

Cobden claimed his first jockeys’ title last season after going head-to-head with Sean Bowen until securing the championship in the final week.

Bowen tops the standings for the 2024-25 season with Cobden back in ninth after being absent from the saddle since July 21. However, the champion jockey is not seeking to rush back and risk any further injury ahead of the core jumps season getting under way this month.

“My plan is to take it steady for maybe the first month and then start to build it up and go from there,” he said.

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