Jockeys Harry Cobden and Jonjo O’Neill junior show National Hunt’s future is in safe hands

Both enjoyed prolific success on the pony racing circuit in their formative years.

Both became champion conditional after successful transitions to the professional ranks.

Both are incredibly personable on and off the racecourse with their ambassadorial qualities.

And both riders have been tipped for the top long before they offered a glimpse of racing’s future at Warwick.

It was ultimately Cobden who prevailed on the aptly-named Next Destination from the O’Neill-ridden Fiddlerontheroof in the Grade Two Hampton Novices’ Chase, a stepping stone for future three-mile steeplechasing superstars.

Yet, while this was just a three-runner race with Golan Fortune completing the field, these young rivals still in their early 20s illuminated one of the more moderate winter weekends.

Despite being the first off the bridle midway down the back straight, Next Destination responded well to pressure under Cobden to take a slender advantage turning for home.

However, as Golan Fortune began to fade, it enabled Cobden to snatch the rail on the run into the home straight and deny O’Neill a tactical advantage.

A key move, the determination was self-evident on the faces of both men as they jumped the last in near unison before Next Destination prevailed for trainer Paul Nicholls and owner Malcolm Denmark.

“He is a little bit more relaxed now and when he has been asked he has jumped pretty well. He has jumped well on the whole,” said Cobden who is the closest pursuer to North Yorkshire’s Brian Hughes in the current title race.

“He is a bit older and is getting slightly lazier. I don’t mind pushing them for a bit if they keep finding and to be honest he plugged on really well. He swung into the straight and was the one to be shot at. He was long over two out and winged the last and stayed galloping.”

Although Next Destination will hold Cheltenham entries, Cobden believes the Grade One Mildmay Novices’ Chase at Aintree could be a more suitable option.

“I don’t known if he is an RSA horse. The three-mile race at Aintree might suit him. Paul might get him home tonight and think RSA it is, or say ‘right, we will take our time and go for Aintree’,” said the rider who won the finale on Gold Bullion for the same connections.

Earlier O’Neill junior had demonstrated his prowess by landing the Edward Courage Cup on the progressive two-mile chaser Sky Pirate.

The Jonjo O’Neill-trained eight-year-old defied an 11lb hike in the weights following victory at Cheltenham to make it two wins from as many starts since being dropped back to the minimum distance.

Moving past long-time leader Generous Day approaching the second-last, the favourite pulled out plenty to defeat Amoola Gold by two and a quarter lengths.

The winning rider said: “He is a bit of an enigma, as he has never shown at home that he wants two miles.

“But we had been meaning to try it and it worked out well at Cheltenham and it has worked out well again today. He is an improver at this trip.

“I think people have been getting him slightly wrong as I’m just not sure he gets the two and a half we were aiming him at, but I think he stays two miles strongly.”

Following the race Sky Pirate was made ante-post favourite for the Grand Annual at the Cheltenham Festival – a race which O’Neill junior believes could be a suitable aim.

He added: “He would (be a horse for a Grand Annual). He has won off 145 and won quite nicely. He is still a novice, but he will be entered up in everything I’d imagine.”

Meanwhile Envoi Allen, Irish jump racing’s next superstar, extended his unbeaten record to 11 when winning at Punchestown yesterday – he’s evens favourite for the Marsh Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Today’s action sees Cornerstone Lad, the winner of the 2019 Grade One Fighting Fifth Hurdle for Middleham’s Micky Hammond, make his second start over fences when lining up in a two- runner race at Ayr.