Thirsty Harry Cobden determined to farm the Cheltenham Festival as he ploughs towards jockey's title

Harry Cobden is a man in the spotlight.

But for him, joy comes on shining his glare every night on his cows at the family farm. Cobden thrives under the scrutiny of being No.1 rider to 14-times champion trainer Paul Nicholls and has the skills to back up his bursting talent. Thirsting to win at the biggest meetings such as Cheltenham as well as the quiet Tuesdays at Taunton, the 25-year-old is in line for a first-ever horse racing champion jockey’s title.

But Cobden knows that, to cope with the strains, he needs the off-track release. When he’s not at a race track, you’ll find Cobden grafting down the farm. At night, he’ll wander into the field with a torch-light on his head clearing his mind. Despite being as busy as ever on the riding front, he says it’s crucial to have balance. He explained “I try to switch off and it’s quite handy to have the farm there.

“I walk over there and spend an hour muddling about doing a few things. You quickly forget about your day’s racing or if it’s been a bad day. It works well. To be honest, I make sure no-one relies on me. I’m probably one of those people who goes around telling everyone what they are not doing right!

“If there was anything wrong with an animal, I’d make sure it was medicated correctly, but I’ll go around doing little jobs that don’t get done and people don’t even notice. I’m hiding in the shadows, although maybe I do more than I give myself credit for.

“I don’t do any of the main jobs like feeding or bedding. More the little things. I love it because it is my hobby and passion. It never feels like I am working when I am over there. It’s a bit different from the racing. I love that, too.

“The hardest part is probably the travelling and the first thing I want to do when