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Harry Cobden will miss Cheltenham’s Trials Day card on Saturday as he struggles to recover from the effects of a fall at Ascot last weekend. Only last week Cobden was announced as JP McManus’s retained jockey in Britain and Ireland next season, which will bring an end to his association with 14-time British champion jumps trainer Paul Nicholls.

As a result he was chosen to take over from Nico de Boinville on the McManus-owned Jonbon in the Clarence House Chase at Ascot last Saturday. However he was forced to miss the winning mount after taking a tumble from Neon Moon earlier in the afternoon. James Bowen took the ride instead.

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The 27-year-old was due to partner the unbeaten Triumph Hurdle hope Minella Yoga for current boss Paul Nicholls - but will miss out.

“He won’t come back for Saturday - he’s very sore and he just needs a bit more time,” said Cobden’s agent, Sam Stronge. "It’s the sensible thing to do to give it a bit longer - the right decision is just to give it a few more days.

“Hopefully, he’ll be back the following weekend - he may even come back during midweek - but being patient is the right thing.”

Cobden’s absence opens the door for Sam Twiston-Davies to ride Minella Yoga in the Grade 2 JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle on Saturday.

Nicholls is in talks with former Ditcheat No 1 Twiston-Davies to partner the 14-time champion trainer’s Grade 1 horses next season.

Minella Yoga is a 16-1 chance with William Hill for the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham on March 13 and Nicholls said: “Sam’s going to ride him this weekend and he’ll have a sit on him tomorrow.

“We knew he was decent before he won [on his stable debut] at Newbury and Saturday will tell us where we will go.”