Grand National: Cobden leads teenage revolution at Aintree

“It will be nice, wouldn’t it?” he tells The Yorkshire Post. “He definitely has a very good chance.”

Cobden’s winning ride came in Haydock’s Peter Marsh Chase in January when he pulled clear of Captain Redbeard who he reopposes today. It is rock solid form. Though the horse was then pulled up in the Merseyside track’s Grand National Trial when Danny Cook was in the saddle, Cobden is content to put a line through that run.

“In the Peter Marsh, he did everything right. He jumped. He travelled. He handled soft ground. And he pulled nicely clear after the last,” he said.

Just 19, Cobden is one of a number of teenagers seeking big race glory and showed off his horsemanship by landing back-to-back victories on Ultragold in the Topham Chase over the National fences after a fine front-running ride yesterday.

Champion conditional last season, he has also Grade One success in the current campaign courtesy of Tingle Creek Chase winner Politologue and Cheltenham Festival hero Kilbricken Storm.

Like Kilbricken Storm and Ultragold, The Dutchman is trained by Dorset farmer Colin Tizzard who saddled last month’s Gold Cup winner Native Winner and is now bidding to become the first person to train the winners of Cheltenham’s signature race, and the National, in the same year since Fred Rimell in 1976.

“He’s got a lovely way about him,” says Cobden who is interested in farming. “He’s very laid back, people listen to him and he’s a good trainer. It’s a pleasure to ride for him. As a kid, I used to go hunting with him.”