Harry Cobden, recently named retained jockey for J P McManus in Britain and Ireland in a role beginning in May, could be the one to follow when Fakenham racecourse stages its Valentines Raceday on Friday (February 13).
Cobden was champion jump jockey in season 2023/24 and has five rides at Fakenham, including two for his current boss, trainer Paul Nicholls, and two for Mark Walford.
Walford provides Cobden with Character Testing in the opening £150,000 Prize Money on 4th May Hurdle at 1.20pm, the gelding, formerly with Tom Ellis, a recent runner-up at Market Rasen. Main rivals are Morning Mayhem, a former Uttoxeter scorer for Nick Scholfield and Sarah Humphrey’s Noble Miss, fifth over course and distance in December.
Trainer Billy Aprahamian legs up Cobden on Seasmoke in the 1.50pm Tim Barclay Memorial Chase, the mare a previous Market Rasen winner who was third at Ffos Las in January. Suzy Smith has Animal, a recent Fontwell third and Lucy Wadham sends out Brother Boris, third at Fakenham in January, now tackling a much longer trip.
Race of the day could be the 2.20pm British EBF Novice Hurdle. Cobden rides Nicholls’ Swinging Safari, third at Kempton in January after scoring at Wincanton before Christmas.
There are plenty of capable rivals in the shape of Nicky Henderson’s Ionian, a Sandown runner-up, Toby Laws’ No Cure, a Limerick winner in December, Gary and Josh Moore’s The Boss Bear, a Plumpton winner in December, and Stuart Edmunds’ Jury’s In, a recent Ffos Las third.
Cobden’s fourth ride is in the 4pm Racing TV Novice Hurdle with Walford’s De Deli Counter, a Market Rasen runner-up a fortnight ago. Pam Sly sends out Apieceovfortune, the mare trying to repeat her Fakenham victory in January while Wadham has Castanea Breeze, Tom Cannon riding the former Wetherby runner-up.
In the finale, the 4.35pm Racing TV Maiden Bumper, Cobden is on Nicholls’ debutant Beau Speed although two with experience look likely favourites. Cooltobecareless, for Dan Skelton, was a Chepstow runner-up in October while Elusive Pb was third at Wincanton for Scholfield.
A quartet compete at 2.50pm for the Terry Moyise Memorial Mares’ Chase with Belle Montrose, the winner of the Queen Boudicca Series at the last Fakenham meeting returning for trainer Sam Drinkwater. Moviddy, third in that contest, Jacks Touch, fifth and Kalista Love, complete the line-up, the latter, a former Warwick winner.
Five go in the 3.25pm William Bulwer-Long Memorial Open Hunters’ Chase in which Patrick Mullins hopes to record a first Fakenham success, partnering the Faye Bramley trained Stattler, a Hereford second three weeks ago.
