'A relief' to clinch jump jockey title - Cobden
Jump jockey champion Harry Cobden said it felt like "a relief" to clinch the title for the first time after a close-run battle with runner-up Sean Bowen.
Cobden, 25, was crowned winner at Chepstow on Spring Gale on the eve of the final meeting of the season, eventually finishing seven wins clear of Bowen.
He becomes only the eighth rider to win the championship since 1981-82.
"It was fantastic to do it and just probably a bit of a relief, but it was a tremendous season," Cobden told BBC Radio Somerset.
"You probably don't appreciate how big a moment until you reflect on it.
"I think there are something like seven champion jockeys in the last 40-plus years so it was a huge achievement. I'm obviously immensely proud and hopefully we can do it again one day."
Cobden, from Somerset, has been a stable jockey with Paul Nicholls in Ditcheat since he was a child and is the trainer's first jump jockey winner.
Nicholls missed out on the jump trainers championship, finishing third.
"Normally I'm sort of a 450 rides a year sort of jockey and this year I've had 730-something. That's stepped up massively," Cobden said.
"I think the pressure probably kicked in the last fortnight just because I was trying to get it over the line and I probably didn't ride as well because you're forcing it rather than letting it happen.
"I'm glad it's all over now."
Cobden said he would be back riding this weekend at the beginning of a busy May schedule before easing off through the summer ahead of the return of jump racing in the autumn.
"We're not going to go crazy. We’re going to ride as much as we can and are hungry for a bit more," Cobden said.
