- Paul Nicholls wants to make Harry Cobden the champion jockey this year
- Two victories at Ascot helped him to move three clear of Sean Bowen in the race
- Pic D’Orhy and Threeunderthrufive both won chases at Ascot on Saturday
Paul Nicholls says his big aim this season is to make Harry Cobden champion jockey for the first time, as he lavished praise on his stable jockey’s winning ride on Pic D’Orhy in the Grade One Betfair Ascot Chase.
With Cobden also successful on Threeunderthrufive — trained by Nicholls — in Ascot’s Injured Jockeys Fund Swinley Handicap Chase, he moved three winners (126-123) in front of Sean Bowen in the title race.
Cobden was 30 behind his rival on Boxing Day before a knee injury stalled Bowen’s progress and the momentum is now with Cobden, especially with his boss so emphatically backing him.
After Pic D’Orhy had convincingly beaten L’Homme Presse five and a half lengths after making all the running, Nicholls said: ‘That was a fantastic ride from Harry. We were always going to be positive. That is why he is vying to be champion jockey — he is riding like a champion.
‘When he jumped the first fence I thought he’d take some beating. I knew what Harry was doing.
Harry Cobden moved three wins clear of Sean Bowen in the race for champion jockey
Paul Nicholls wants to make Cobden champion jockey for the first time this season
Pic D’Orhy (left) and Threeunderthrufive (right) were two of Cobden’s winners at Ascot
‘He gave him a little breather and then gave him a kick in the belly turning in and away he went. I really want Harry to be champion jockey, that would be fantastic. He deserves it. He is working hard and we will do our best to help him.’
A fifth win in the Ascot Chase and the £100,000 first prize was also useful for Nicholls in his bid to be champion trainer for a 15th time.
Rivals Dan Skelton and Nicky Henderson are breathing down his neck but he has a little cushion now after his prizemoney haul on the day took him past £2million for the season.
Pic D’Orhy has an entry in the Ryanair Chase at next month’s Cheltenham Festival but his preference for a flat rather than undulating track means he will be saved for Aintree’s Grand National meeting in April where he will try to win the Melling Chase for a second season running.
Longer term, Nicholls believes Pic D’Orhy will take a step up to three miles in his stride to make him a contender for the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.
The Cheltenham Gold Cup odds of Venetia Williams-trained Ascot Chase runner-up L’Homme Presse were pushed out to 20-1 by Betfair after he was outpaced by Pic D’Orhy.
But L’Homme Presse’s team were unperturbed and he remains on course for the Blue Riband of the Festival, which is run over five furlongs further.
