Cobden closes gap on Hughes to one in jockeys' title race after another double

Paul Nicholls believes it will be a very tough task for Harry Cobden to prevail over Brian Hughes in the race to be champion jockey, but he will give him all the support he can after his number-one rider reached a half-century of winners for the season.

Cobden's odds for the jockeys' championship were cut to evens by Coral after a Huntingdon double on Master Tommytucker and Wild Max helped him close the gap on Brian Hughes to just one, although Hughes remains the slight 10-11 favourite to retain his crown.

Both of Cobden's winners came for the in-form Nicholls, who enjoyed an across-the-card four-timer thanks to another double at Lingfield, and the Ditcheat trainer has now been successful with a remarkable eight of his last 11 runners.