Politologue and Harry Cobden aimed at Cheltenham’s Shloer Chase

Cobden, who turned 23 just last Friday, credits the great grey for helping launch his career by landing a thrilling renewal of Sandown’s Grade One Tingle Creek Chase in 2017 when he was still a teenager.

And while it was Harry Skelton’s fortune to be in the saddle when Politologue, an evocative grey horse, won Cheltenham’s iconic Queen Mother Champion Chase on the brink of lockdown, Cobden is looking forward to taking the reins again.

This noted two-mile race, won by the legendary Sprinter Sacre in 2015, also features the current Champion Chase hero Put The Kettle On, trained in Ireland by the all-conquering Henry de Bromhead, and the rising star Nube Negra for the aforementioned Skelton and his brother Dan.

However, the likable Cobden believes Politologue, now a veteran at the age of 10 and owned by John Hales of One Man and Neptune Collonges racing fame, still has the “fire in his belly” ahead of his attempt to break through the £1m prize money barrier.

The jockey explained: “I’m absolutely delighted to be back on board him.

“I schooled him on Tuesday and he is in fantastic form and he jumped really well.

“It seems to me that he still has the fire in his belly. I’m very excited and looking forward to the weekend. He has been a fantastic horse for the yard and he is just shy of winning a million pounds in prize money, having won over £990,000.

“He has had a great preparation and hopefully we haven’t left any stones unturned and he is ready to roll.”

While respecting the chances of Put The Kettle On, Cobden actually rates the Dan Skelton-trained Champion Chase runner-up Nube Negra as their biggest danger.

“I don’t think there will be many runners but those that will be running are going to be quality horses,” explained Cobden.

He added: “Put The Kettle On needs no introduction as she is last season’s Champion Chase winner but I think Nube Negra is probably the main danger going into the race.

“He was a bit unlucky at the Festival last season – he didn’t have the gaps turning in and he will really appreciate the decent ground.

“Politologue has been a champion really and has turned up everywhere for the last five or six years.”

Cobden may now be seen among the weighing room’s elite riders due to his association with champion trainer Paul Nicholls, but he will always be thankful to Politologue for helping establish his career during his early years in the saddle.

He said: “I suppose he was my second big Saturday Grade One winner after Irving when he won the Tingle Creek as I was still a teenager at the time. He really helped put me on the map and has played a big part in my career.

“The two miles around Cheltenham is one we all look forward to and especially on a horse like him who, touch wood, is such a safe jumper. He is a horse that is close to my heart given what he has done in the past as well.”

In other news, Malton trainer Brian Ellison’s Windsor Avenue was a pleasing second in the Weatherbys Handicap Chase at Bangor while Welsh National hopeful Sam’s Adventure was pulled up by Brian Hughes.

However, North Yorkshire-based Hughes did notch up a double as he extended his already commanding lead in the National Hunt title race.

Champion jockey in 2019-20, he has set his sights on regaining his title after being overhauled by Harry Skelton in the closing stages of last season.

Hughes predominantly rides for the in-form and prolific Donald McCain who is in no rush to decide the next plan of attack with Minella Trump after his progressive chaser completed a five-timer at Sandown on Sunday.

Having supplemented a Perth hat-trick with victory at Sedgefield last month, the seven-year-old continued on his steep upward curve with a successful raid south.

“This new novice handicap chase thing has really helped horses like him. Horses are now able to get a bit of confidence and step up through the ranks,” said the trainer.