WHEN HARRY MET SAVVY
Star jockey thriving on and off the racecourse
HARRY COBDEN is building. He’s building his profile into one of the elite performers in racing.
He’s building his winners tally. He’s also building his knowledge, nous and burgeoning reputation and
when it’s all done, he’ll still be building. With bricks and hay bales.
Cobden is a class act on and off the track.
Settled smoothly into the high-octane job as No.1 rider to champion trainer Paul Nicholls, he has the temperament and on-course skills to succeed.
Off it, it’s equally impressive. At the age of just 22, he has the world at his feet.
The trappings of fame, lucrative prize money in the bank, the pitfalls of success at a tender age for a major sportsman are dotted everywhere across Cobden’s fields. A landscape of landmines.
But rather than risk walking through it, he’d rather build or farm on it.
As level headed as he is talented, Cobden doesn’t court the high life. It’s not that he doesn’t like enjoying himself, it’s just he’s bright enough to see danger around corners.
Cobden might be fit and healthy. He might be at the top of the game. He might be able to swan around like he owns a place, drive fast cars and wear a £500 pair of trainers if he wants. However, it’s not an option.
Instead, he’d rather get his hands dirty, drive a tractor and wear wellies when he’s not gracing the track.
He revealed: “I’m always looking ahead. Racing is something you might not do forever. Jockey might be a short career, so I’m planning ahead already at home. I wouldn’t think about racing very often when I get home. My family have a farm and I want to get into farming and do a bit of construction work and things like that. I’ve got a few little things going on.
“Yes, I’ve seen Grand Designs! I watched a show on TV recently where they buy a house, do it up and sell it on. I’m not really sure that would be my thing but I am planning ahead.
“I don’t waste money. I’ve stuck it all away. It’s certainly not all about the fast cars and brand new clothes and style for me.
“So many jockeys in the past have come from nothing, earned loads of money but then it was gone. They enjoyed life and I’m all about that as well but you need to get yourself set up.
“At the end of the day you are only one fall away from it being finished. You have to be sensible in some aspects in terms of sticking a bit by.
“Get a house bought, or buy a bit of land. Do something. I think a few people might have wasted a fair bit of money and, if they had their time again, then they might do it differently.”
Cobden’s not paying lip service when he says that.
When Betfair Hurdle Day was postponed at Newbury a fortnight ago, he got the working togs on. He explained: “We’d just put a new building up, so I spent the morning laying concrete. It needed done and I just did it. It takes your mind off the racing.”
It’s a modest and hard-working approach that is serving him well.
He faced the usual issues as a teenager wanting to be a sportsman of seeing his mates head out on the lash while he had to stay home.
Cobden said: “From the age of 16 to 19, your friends are partying and you are missing out.
“I suppose it was thanks to my mum that she kept me under control when I wanted to go out.
“It’s something that was on your mind and even the other jockeys in the yard were doing the same things – going out and having a great time.
“They’d come in on the Monday morning, you’d hear all their stories and wish you were out there with them.
“But it was a good thing I stayed in and concentrated on riding. It has paid off.”
Much of this grounded outlook may explain why Cobden has eased so seamlessly into the role with Nicholls because it’s no job for the faint hearted.
The trainer is fiercely loyal but he’s also an out-and-out winner.
Demands are high on his riders. Some, such as Ruby Walsh in the past, can cope. Others cannot.
Cobden can handle it and his persona makes him gold dust for the game. He’s young, talented, articulate and as impressive with the public side of racing as he is when he’s sat on the horse flesh.
He said: “When I get home and know I’ve done my best and haven’t done anything seriously wrong, I sleep well at night.
“If it does go wrong you try to get it right the next time, having held your hands up.
“You can’t dwell on things. I’m sure many people have for too long and it’s probably shown up in their riding the next day.
“When I got the No.1 job I was probably quite green at the time but in the past couple of years, I have improved and I don’t feel pressure on the big days.
“From a jockey’s point of view, when they are getting a lot of pressure from the trainer and they can’t quite handle it, you freeze. You are not yourself then you make wrong decisions and it’s a downhill curve.
“King George Day at Kempton on Cyrname was an example. I was frustrated for about five seconds crossing the line but then it’s on to the next one.
“When I started out, the cameras and press were not something I was used to. No one wanted to hear my opinion but you have some success on the track and people want to hear.
“You have to be careful what you say in case you shoot yourself in the foot but you also have to give the press time because people want to know what you think about the horses.
“Five minutes of your day goes a long way.”
FEARLESS Dan Skelton says Allmankind isn’t scared of fighting two terrifying Arkle monsters at once.
The trainer is convinced his brave charge won’t be frightened in the Tuesday tear-up which promises to be a Festival highlight.
Top-class duo Shishkin and Energumene are both unbeaten over fences and ready for an almighty UK v Ireland clash.
Nicky Henderson’s shot is the 10/11 favourite but the Willie Mullins raider has plenty of backers at 5/2.
However, Allmankind is also unbeaten in three chase starts just like his rivals and supporters interested in the 15/2 shot will be heartened by Skelton’s bullish attitude to hunting the top two in the market.
He said: “He’s taking on two monsters but we’ve got a very tough horse. I don’t see any chinks in his armour and you only find out if you are better or behind these horses when you actually take them on.
“Everyone wants to know the pecking order and I’m happy to chuck our hat in the ring. So long as he is in good health on the day, he’ll be a tough customer.
“I’m not saying he’ll definitely win but I’m not seeing the chinks in his armour which say to me: ‘Oh that’s why we might get beaten in an Arkle.’
“From his first run over hurdles to his first run over fences this season, he sharpened right up.
“He thrives on racing. I see a situation where he improves. I’m not in any way negative. I’m really looking forward to it.”
Tactical analysts fear a burn-up in front between Allmankind and Energumene may set the race up for Shishkin in the way Saint Calvados and Petit Mouchoir did for Footpad three years ago.
Skelton insisted: “They are not going to take each other on to make it a disadvantage.”
Last year’s Triumph flop will also niggle in the mind of his potential backers but Allmankind tuned up for the big day with a win in the Kingmaker at Warwick.
Although he was not fluent in gluepot ground, Skelton took more heart than concern from the prep.
He said: “I was happy with him at Warwick but the ground was testing and he got stuck a little at jumps.
“That was why he couldn’t get into the rhythm he sometimes does but I loved his attitude from the back of the last to get his head stuck down and get on to the line.
“What I learned is that he could get into some unusual positions at a jump and survive, which is vital because you won’t have a career over fences without meeting one or two jumps wrong.
“The better Cheltenham ground will suit him and I’ve no doubts about his durability and suitability. The rhythm will come with the ground.
“The fences come quickly over two miles and that ability to dig deep is really going to suit him at Cheltenham.
“After the last fence, you are going to have to really stay.
“That’s why I was really happy with the race at Warwick. It shows he’ll do that.
“It’s a long run from three out to two out in the Arkle but we can put our head down from turning in and make it a fight.”