Champion jockey Harry Cobden lands Palladium ride for Triumph Hurdle after James Bowen’s whip ban
Harry Cobden has landed the plum ride on Palladium in the JCB Triumph Hurdle after James Bowen lost his appeal against a whip suspension.
Bowen faced a disciplinary panel on Thursday and tried to persuade them that his ninth strike on Zestful Hope, whom he had steered to victory at Hereford, was for safety reasons.
If the panel had accepted Bowen’s argument, his ban would have been reduced from seven days to four — and, crucially, suspensions of four days or less are not served on days when Grade One races are scheduled, so he would have been free to ride at the Cheltenham Festival.
Harry Cobden will now race in Cheltenham Festival’s JCB Triumph Hurdle on board Palladium
Cobden will have to get acquainted with Palladium, pictured here with trainer Nicky Henderson
It is a huge blow for James Bowen who is a key member of the Seven Barrows team
But Cobden will now partner Palladium a week today and the Champion Jockey has been to Seven Barrows to school the four-year-old colt.
Trainer Nicky Henderson said: ‘It is a dreadful shame for James but the plan is for Harry to ride Palladium. It’s great to have him.’
