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JP McManus announces Harry Cobden as new number one rider
By Harry Allwood
Last Updated: Mon 12 Jan 2026
Harry Cobden will be based on both sides of the Irish Sea when embarking on his new role for JP McManus
JP McManus has announced that Harry Cobden will be his number one rider in both Britain and Ireland, and the former champion jockey will begin his new role in May.
Since Barry Geraghty retired in 2020, Mark Walsh has been McManus's retained rider in Ireland, but Cobden will be based on both sides of the Irish Sea when embarking on his new role after this season.
Cobden, who was crowned champion conditional at the end of the 2016-17 season, has been based with Paul Nicholls since 2015, and the 27-year-old was crowned champion jump jockey in Britain in the 2023-24 season.
The leading rider has ridden 13 winners for McManus in his career from 67 rides in the famous green and gold colours.
A statement from McManus to the Racing Post said: "JP McManus has announced the appointment of Harry Cobden as his retained rider for the forthcoming National Hunt season in both the UK and Ireland."
McManus added: "I'm delighted to secure Harry Cobden’s services for next season."
Speaking before racing at Hereford on Monday, Cobden told Sky Sports Racing: “It’s a massive opportunity for next season and obviously I’m very much looking forward to it.
“It’s obviously nice and a privilege to be asked. It’s a huge position, they’ve got lots of very good horses and I’m looking forward to it.
“Ireland is obviously where the majority of the green and gold horses are. There’s lots of quality there, it’s great.”
Cobden was keen to praise 14-times champion trainer Nicholls for the part he has played in his career to date and insists his “primary focus” is on doing as well as he can for his current boss before his new role begins.
He added: “I’ve really had one job in racing and that’s with Paul Nicholls, so I wouldn’t be where I am today without him.
“The support I’ve had off him and his owners over the last 10 years has been unbelievable and without them an opportunity like this wouldn’t have come along because nobody would know who I am.
“I’d just like to say a massive thank you to Paul and all his team because I’ve had the most fantastic 10 years there and fingers crossed I can still ride plenty of winners for them.”
Mark Walsh celebrates after guiding Inothewayurthinkin to victory in the 2025 Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup at the Cheltenham Festival (Pic: Focusonracing)
Mark Walsh will continue as number one rider for McManus in Ireland until May, but from next season, Cobden will have the first choice on which McManus-owned horses to ride.
Walsh, who will turn 40 in March, guided Inothewayurthinkin to victory in last year’s Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup, and has ridden an abundance of big-race winners for McManus over the past decade, including 11 Cheltenham Festival victories.
Cobden’s new signing also means Nicholls will be without his stable jockey from May, and the leading rider has some big shoes to fill, with Geraghty, who retired in 2020, the last jockey to be McManus’ number one rider in both Britain and Ireland having succeeded Sir A P McCoy.
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