Harry Cobden successful in suspension appeal

Harry Cobden’s hopes of winning the 2023-24 champion jump jockey title were boosted after he successfully appealed a three-day suspension imposed at the Cheltenham Festival.

The ban was initially handed out by the raceday stewards at the meeting when they deemed Cobden to have ridden carelessly aboard Handstands in the Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle.

The horse finished sixth and was judged to have interfered with the progress of Ile Atlantique and Predators Gold, both trained by Willie Mullins and ridden by Patrick and Danny Mullins respectively.

That finding was contested at the appeal and the panel, chaired by James O’Mahony, found in Cobden’s favour and overturned the suspension.

Those three days he is now free to ride could prove pivotal for the jockey, who is locked in a title race with Sean Bowen and was 12 winners ahead at the end of the action on Friday.