Harry Cobden reacts to 1,000th career success - and reveals the race he'd love to win - The Mirror

Cobden, 26, reached the landmark with an enjoyable spin on favourite Indemnity at Market Rasen. The Emma Lavelle-trained horse eased clear in the Mike Harrison 70th Birthday Handicap Hurdle

Top jockey Harry Cobden said it was "marvellous" to reach the 1,000-winner milestone at Market Rasen. The 26-year-old travelled up to the Lincolnshire circuit on Tuesday for the one ride on Emma Lavelle-trained hurdler Indemnity.

Punters took the hint and sent the two-time winning handicapper - an 85-rated horse on the Flat - off as the 5-4 favourite.

And Indemnity lived up to market expectations, cruising into contention for Cobden and only requiring a few nudges to overtake long-time leader Bowmore at the end of 2m½f.

"I've had to wait a few days for this landmark success," said the 2023-4 champion jockey, out of luck on five horses priced at 3-1 or shorter in the past fortnight.

"It was something I always wanted to do and it's a great way to start the season."

Cobden joins an elite group of British riders who have hit four-figures in the saddle, a list which includes 20-time champion Sir AP McCoy, John Francome who had seven championships to his name and current table-topper Sean Bowen.

The newest member has 27 Grade One successes and six to his name at the Cheltenham Festival, where the Gold Cup is the race he set his sights on.

"Out of all of them it is the one I have always wanted to win," said Cobden, stable jockey to Paul Nicholls who prepared legendary titleholders Kauto Star (2007, 2009) and Denman (2008). "We will have to see if Caldwell Potter can reach that standard."

The grey chaser part-owned by Manchester United great Sir Alex Ferguson landed the Jack Richards Novices' Limited Handicap Chase at the famous meeting in Gloucestershire last March.

A month later he raced to a big spring double by sticking on in determined fashion to secure Aintree's Grade One Mildmay event for novices.

Nicholls has entered Caldwell Potter in a 2m 5f intermediate chase at Newton Abbot on October 18.

The seven-year-old, who set a sales record (£633,000) for a National Hunt horse at public auction in February 2024, is 25-1 in the Gold Cup market with William Hill.