NECK BLOW FOR COBDEN
JUMP jockey Harry Cobden is facing up to two months on the sidelines after fracturing a bone in his neck when unseated from Mick Thonic at Market Rasen on Friday. The 19-year-old, who was appointed No 1 jockey to 10-time champion trainer Paul Nicholls last month, fractured his C2 vertebra when flung into the turf after his Colin Tizzard-trained mount unseated him at the last fence. Cobden (right) said: ‘I will hopefully be back in two months or so. I have to wear a neck brace to make sure everything heals properly. I will make sure I am A1 before I come back really fit and healthy. I will not be taking any chances.’ Cobden was champion conditional jockey in the 2016-17 season. He rode 76 winners last season and had started the new one well with nine successes. Nicholls has two runners at this afternoon’s meeting at Newton Abbot, both ridden by Sam Twiston-Davies, the jockey replaced by Cobden as the trainer’s No 1 rider. The trainer said: ‘Harry is going to be out but if there is a time to be injured it is now. I only have half a dozen summer jumpers to run.’