Plate smasher Cobden delivers with Ballysax Hank

Ballysax Hank completed a successful raid when partnered by Harry Cobden in the Unibet Summer Plate Handicap Chase at Market Rasen.

The Gavin Cromwell-trained six-year-old was one of a handful of Irish horses to travel over for the valuable summer feature, with Cobden taking the ride in his quest for a third successive triumph in the big handicap.

The duo started as the 9-4 favourite, though Ballysax Hank may have given his backers a few tense moments when making his rider’s job rather difficult with some fractious behaviour at the start.

The chestnut travelled at the rear and had plenty of horses to pass when he turned for home, but with plenty up his sleeve he was well able to pick them all off and score by an easy five lengths from Mickey Bowen’s Courtland and Nicky Henderson’s Bhaloo in third.

Explaining how the ride came about, Cobden said: “I was buying cattle and Keith Donoghue called me while I was in the ring at Salisbury.

“He said, ‘do you want to ride Ballysax Hank on Saturday?’, and I said, ‘yes, put me down on him’. Keith and Gavin were talking and they said I can ride the horse and it has worked out great.

“I was only hacking away for much of the race, but I knew as soon as I turned in it was all over. I just didn’t want to hit the front too soon.

“Gavin is brilliant. There was no real instructions and he doesn’t tie you down to anything. The horse was playing up at the start, and I didn’t want to get among the other horses.

“I was a bit further back than I should have been, but sometimes you have got to do what is right.

“He was very fit and ready for the day, although there was a second I thought I was coming off him (at the start), but he jumped well and was always in a nice rhythm.

“All us professional lads are paid to do a job and when you are on the horse’s back you have got to do what you think is right as opposed to what you are told to do.

“He crept into it really well and when asked he picked up. It is great how it has worked out and I’m delighted.”