Stewards investigate run of Paul Nicholls and Harry Cobden horse in first official race of jumps season
PAUL NICHOLLS and Harry Cobden are at the centre of a ‘surprise’ stewards enquiry into the first official race of the jumps season.
Farland was sent off 13-8 fav for a 2m novices’ hurdle on Persian War day at Chepstow.
The five-year-old gelding, who has a tendency to race keenly, was held up at the back of the field by top jock Cobden.
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Farland travelled well into the race and was five lengths down in fifth approaching the last before running on to capture third behind 9-2 winner Ben Solo.
Cobden told stewards after that Farland ‘hung badly left-handed throughout’ the contest.
However, Sun Racing columnist and Sky Sports Racing presenter Matt Chapman confirmed a ‘surprise’ stewards enquiry was being held into the run.
The official stewards report later read: “The stewards are holding an enquiry into the running and riding of Farland, placed third, ridden by Harry Cobden and trained by Paul Nicholls.”
By 4pm, some two-and-a-half hours after the race had started, the enquiry was still yet to be completed.
Cobden’s ride was clocked by some punters who though the tricky horse was tenderly handled in the closing stages.
Nicholls was forced to pull big ante-post Persian War Novices’ Hurdle favourite Teeshan earlier in the week.
The 11-10 chance looked fit as a fiddle in a video Nicholls posted online ahead of the Grade 2.
But Nicholls told Betfair Racing: “I’m mortified that Teeshan can’t run in the Persian War after a tiny little setback because he was pleasing me in his work.
“Hopefully he will be back in two or three weeks time.”
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