Champion jockey Harry Cobden ‘astounded’ at ‘unbelievable’ and ‘lifechanging’ £500,000 on offer in new ‘jockeys’ league’

HARRY COBDEN admitted helium was "astounded" erstwhile helium discovered helium could beryllium fractional a cardinal pounds richer by the extremity of the season.

It was announced connected Friday that a caller 'jockeys' league', the David Power Jockeys' Cup, would footwear disconnected astatine Cheltenham on Friday, moving done until the Aintree gathering in April.

Jockeys cod points by finishing successful the archetypal 4 successful ITV-televised races, and the winning jockey gets a whopping £500,000, with more wealth connected connection for anyone finishing successful the apical ten.

Unsurprisingly, the apical 4 jockeys astir apt to get their paws connected the hefty loot - Nico de Boinville, Harry Skelton, Sean Bowen and Harry Cobden, admitted they were "hungrier than ever" for winners.

Speaking astatine a property league earlier racing astatine Cheltenham, Cobden said: "It’s evidently unbelievable.

"When we got approached and told astir the David Power Cup, we were astounded due to the fact that we’ve ne'er experienced thing similar this before.

"To person thing similar this offered to america is unbelievable. To person thing similar this offered to is insane."

When the dairy husbandman travel jockey from Somerset was asked by ITV presenter Oli Bell whether helium would beryllium buying a caller workplace successful the West Country, helium replied helium was trying to debar reasoning astir it.

But everyone agreed that the sum was "life-changing" for a leap jockey.

A precise competitory Sean Bowen, added: "I’d instrumentality the £500,000 implicit winning Champion Jockey immoderate time truthful I’d springiness that a go. I’ll person a spot of that."

Bowen was starring the jockey's Championship past twelvemonth erstwhile a fearfulness autumn near him connected the sidelines for weeks, leaving the doorway unfastened for Cobden to sneak up his inner.

Following his comment, determination was immoderate interest expressed that the caller competition, funded by Flutter, the genitor institution to Paddy Power, mightiness instrumentality immoderate of the contention distant from the Jockeys' Championship.

But the thought was rapidly enactment to remainder by Bowen, who said: "This caller contention lone happens connected weekends and astir of america would beryllium riding successful the races anyway.

"We are inactive competing time successful time retired to beryllium Champion Jockey."

The tremendous prize-pot, which was designed to marque the athletics much accessible to viewers, has been rocket substance for the jocks.

But Harry Skelton, the younger member of trainer Dan Skelton and besides his unchangeable jockey, was not getting up of himself.

He said: "The quality with our athletics is that Sean and Harry present get changed adjacent to each different each day.

"They're the large contention (for Champion Jockey), and they marque maine hungry. They marque maine privation to thrust winners and get up successful the morning."

"But what we privation much than thing is for them to travel backmost astatine the extremity of each contention acceptable and bully to thrust the adjacent one. That's the world of our game."

FREE BETS - GET THE BEST SIGN UP DEALS AND RACING OFFERS

Commercial contented notice: Taking 1 of the offers featured successful this nonfiction whitethorn effect successful a outgo to The Sun. You should beryllium alert brands wage fees to look successful the highest placements connected the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org.

Remember to gamble responsibly

A liable gambler is idiosyncratic who:

• Establishes clip and monetary limits earlier playing
• Only gambles with wealth they tin spend to lose
• Never chases their losses
• Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, aggravated oregon depressed
• Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
• Gamble Aware – www.gambleaware.org

Find our detailed usher connected liable gambling practices here.