The farmer's son
However, Cobden's first win under rules was actually for Anthony Honeyball in March 2015 - in a story that could have come out of a warped Grange Hill script. Not particularly academic, at 16 Cobden skipped his English GCSE exam to ride El Mondo at Leicester for Honeyball's wife Rachael Green in a hunters' chase. Cobden managed to get El Mondo up for the win at a price of 33/1, earning his father, who had backed the horse with £20, a tidy sum.
Joining Paul Nicholls
"It was a big decision at the time as I was also riding a lot of winners for Colin Tizzard, a neighbouring trainer. After taking my time to think about it, I accepted the job and haven't looked back. I have the best of both worlds, as when I haven't got a ride for Paul, I am able to ride for Colin, I am very fortunate," Cobden told greatbritishlife.co.uk.
Broken neck left career in tatters
Harry Cobden celebrates a win during the 2019 Randox Health Grand National Festival at Aintree Racecourse
"It's the second vertebra down on your neck and my specialist said it's one of the most dangerous ones to do. I feel lucky to be walking around," Cobden told racingpost.com.
Further Grade 1 success
Harry Cobden holds aloft his trophy for winning the RSA Insurance Novices' Chase during the 2019 Cheltenham Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse
Bravemansgame is a suitable mount for a jockey who has fought back from severe injury to assert himself as one of the top jockeys in British National Hunt Racing, and he proved it when winning the King George in 2022.
Personal life
Cobden's parents, William and Sarah, are working farmers in Lydford-on-Fosse, Somerset. He has an older brother, James.