Harry Cobden says getting the ride on Cue Card is "a great opportunity"

Teenager Harry Cobden will replace Paddy Brennan on Cue Card in the Betfair Chase at Haydock on November 25.

Colin Tizzard told Brennan he wanted to try a new jockey on Monday and apparently the 36-year-old rider said it was "fair enough".

Cobden schooled Cue Card, who is owned by octogenerian Jean Bishop, on Wednesday morning and has described his surprise call-up as a great oppprtunity.

Brennan has ridden the popular 11-year-old in his past 13 races, but in two of his last three he has suffered heavy falls, most recently in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby last Saturday.

The pair have enjoyed five Grade One successes together, most notably in the last two renewals of the Betfair Chase and when beating Vautour in the 2015 King George VI Chase.

"I spoke to Paddy on Monday and said I thought the horse deserved to have a change of rider as he has fallen twice out of the last three times," Tizzard said. "He said it was fair enough.

"It's not a big issue changing jockey as we do it all the time, but it might be on Cue Card because of his profile. It is a different set of hands on board so we will see what happens."

The trainer added: "Harry might be available for two or three races, whereas a lot of the top jockeys are already on the best horses."

Earlier, he had told At The Races: "Young Harry Cobden had a school on him this morning, he only did that because the horse was so well.

"We said 'just have a little jump round on him' and we thought we'd let him have a feel and the horse is in lovely form. It's three times he's fallen now so we'll put someone fresh on. It's no detriment to Paddy but we owe the horse. Sometimes enough is enough, so we'll see what happens."

Cobden, 19, is regarded as a rising star in the weighing room. He rides principally for Paul Nicholls and Tizzard, having 47 rides for the latter this term and riding nine winners for him.

"I schooled him [Cue Card] this morning and he felt A1," Cobden said. "I'm very much looking forward to riding him. It is a great opportunity for a young jockey to pick up a ride like that and the target is the Betfair Chase.

"I ride out for Colin every Wednesday and I know all the horses well. I've not really got any commitments in Graded races so it will be nice riding a horse like that as these opportunities don't come around too often."

He will be the fifth different jockey to partner Cue Card. Joe Tizzard, son of the trainer, rode him in his early years (10 wins from 20 rides) before retiring, while Daryl Jacob (0-4) and Aidan Coleman (0-1) have also had spins on him.

Brennan, 36, clicked on Cue Card at the first time of asking, in the 2015 Charlie Hall Chase, and won the Betfair Chase and King George VI Chase on the horse's next two starts. He was at his strongest on the latter occasion, getting Cue Card up by a head from Vautour.

Their 100 per cent record together was shattered in the Gold Cup, when Cue Card, who would have landed connections a £1 million bonus if successful, fell three out after just nosing ahead. Brennan was utterly disconsolate and at the time Tizzard said: "When he got upsides, I thought 'here we go' but that's racing."

Cue Card and Brennan bounced back with an emphatic win at Aintree the following month and last season combined for another Betfair Chase success before a second place to Thistlecrack in the King George and a runaway Ascot Chase victory.

In the Gold Cup the combination again fell three out, but this time Cue Card looked out of his comfort zone. Coincidence or not, the horse also blundered away Tizzard Jr on one occasion at the track.

Last Saturday, Cue Card seemed to ignore the fence when Brennan asked him up and the jockey, who has ridden more than 1,000 winners, afterwards suggested that low sun had blinded the horse.

Connections of Coneygree, who also made uncharacteristic errors before being pulled up, also suggested the low sun was an issue for their horse.

In total, Brennan and Cue Card have left the air on 239 occasions and got to the other side safely 236 times, but there are fines lines in the jumping game.

He had one ride at Chepstow on Wednesday when he fell at the last aboard the already beaten Ring Minella, a 25-1 chance. Cobden had two rides on the same card for Tizzard, falling at the second on the well fancied Muffins For Tea in the novices' handicap chase.

It is estimated that most jump jockeys part company with their horse (fall, unseat or brought down) about once every ten rides or so.