THE 2026 Aintree showpiece will be Harry Cobden’s last Grand National before a seismic career change. For those looking to make a Grand National bet with an interest in the jockey market, Cobden is one of the most intriguing names in the field.
He leaves Paul Nicholls’ Ditcheat yard, where he started as an apprentice and became one of the most celebrated riders in British racing, to take on one of the sport’s most coveted roles as retained jockey for JP McManus.
There will be no fairytale send-off for the Nicholls and Cobden partnership at Aintree, however, as the Ditcheat handler does not have a runner in this year’s renewal. That leaves the former British Champion Jockey in familiar territory, having had to seek out spare rides in the National for several years now due to Nicholls’ absence from the race. Here is a look at the options that could be available to him.
A JP McManus mount
This is probably the most likely scenario. Cobden does not officially become McManus’s retained rider until May, but he has already appeared in the famous green and gold silks on several occasions since the announcement, and with McManus regularly fielding multiple runners in the National, the need for quality jockeys is clear.
The top two in the betting are almost certainly out of reach. Jonjo O’Neill Jr. has a firmly established partnership with ante-post favourite Iroko, having guided him to fourth at Aintree last year, and Paul
Townend has won and finished second on I Am Maximus in the last two renewals. Those relationships are not up for grabs.
That leaves Cobden potentially eyeing Oscars Brother, Spillane’s Tower or Jagwar. Oscars Brother is trained by Connor King, with Daniel King the regular rider, which makes that one less straightforward. Mark Walsh, who retains the McManus role until May, has partnered Spillane’s Tower in the vast majority of his starts under rules and would be a natural fit for that horse.
Jagwar, trained by the same Greenall and Guerriero combination as Iroko, is the most open option. With O’Neill Jr. committed to Iroko, the ride on Jagwar could be available, though connections must first decide whether Aintree is the right target after his Cheltenham Festival outing in the Ultima Handicap Chase. They have been clear that the Grand National is on the agenda, but his participation is far from guaranteed.
A Willie Mullins ride
Cobden’s growing relationship with the Closutton yard is well established. He won the Scottish Grand National on Captain Cody for Mullins last year and has ridden for the stable on a number of occasions this season, including replacing Patrick Mullins on Anzadam in the Irish Champion Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival. That level of trust from Mullins is significant.
Captain Cody is the most natural fit for Cobden in the National context, given their shared history and the horse’s current 25/1 price in the market. Danny Mullins is the other obvious candidate for the ride, but with Mullins having such a large squad at Aintree, Cobden could feasibly pick up one of the horses further down the pecking order if the jockey puzzle doesn’t resolve itself neatly elsewhere. With nine or more Mullins horses potentially in the final field, there are likely to be more rides available than there are in-house jockeys to fill them.
Resplendent Grey
One notable outside option is Resplendent Grey, and at 33/1, he is a more compelling Grand National prospect than his price might suggest. Trained by Olly Murphy, the grey won a Listed chase at Carlisle on reappearance this season, was a close second to the high-class Protektorat in the Fleur de Lys Chase at Windsor, and is a Sandown Gold Cup winner over three miles and four and a half furlongs from last April. The stamina credentials are not in question.
Sean Bowen has been the horse’s regular partner, riding him in all but three of his starts and on board for every one of his seven victories. However, Bowen is almost certain to opt for Haiti Couleurs for Rebecca Curtis, having already won the Welsh and Irish Grand Nationals on the gelding.
That creates a genuine opportunity for Cobden, who would be picking up the reins on a horse with a strong each-way profile for Aintree rather than simply filling a gap. If connections decide to run him, this could turn out to be one of the more attractive available rides in the race.
Article written by Henry Roberts
