The most coveted riding jobs in jumps racing

Harry Cobden’s announcement that he will become JP McManus’ retained rider from May 2026 has sparked one of the sport’s most enjoyable debates: what is the best retainer in National Hunt racing?

For punters, these relationships often shape betting action on national hunt fixtures, and for those who like to place horse racing bets, it’s the retainers that frequently dictate who gets the plum rides when it matters most.

Cobden’s switch, which sees the 27-year-old leave Paul Nicholls after a decade, puts him in the same bracket as some of the sport’s most powerful riders and owners. With that in mind, here are five jobs that stand apart from the rest.

1) JP McManus

It’s tight between Willie Mullins and McManus, but the strength and depth the Irish billionaire has across multiple yards in the United Kingdom and Ireland perhaps gives him a narrow edge over Closutton. McManus has horses spread across more than 40 yards in Britain and around 20 in Ireland, utilising the likes of Mullins and Nicky Henderson.

Cobden will therefore have access to horses like Fact To File and Impose Toi, despite those yards having their own retained riders, which is why wearing the famous green and gold ranks first. Cobden also has huge boots to fill, with AP McCoy and Barry Geraghty the last two long-term riders to hold the role.

2) Willie Mullins

No surprises as Mullins comes in a very close second – and you could quite reasonably argue these jobs are practically equal. Being the retained rider for Closutton almost guarantees Cheltenham Festival success, and Paul Townend would certainly argue there isn’t a better gig. He has ridden 38 Festival winners, including four Gold Cups, two Queen Mother Champion Chases and a Champion Hurdle.

Townend also benefits from the support of some of the sport’s most powerful owners, including the Donnellys, Turleys, Rich Ricci and Gigginstown House Stud, who consistently populate the Mullins battalions with elite talent.

3) Nicky Henderson

Henderson may not boast the same depth of runners he once did at Seven Barrows, but what he lacks in quantity, he makes up for in sheer star power. Nico de Boinville has had the privilege of riding Constitution Hill, Sir Gino and Jonbon, among many others, and the fact he has accumulated more Grade 1 wins than any other current British jockey says everything about the strength of this position.

4) Gordon Elliott

Another highly debatable slot. One could easily argue that riding for Gordon Elliott at Cullentra House is better than the current role at Henderson’s, given Elliott’s depth and his consistent stream of Grade 1 performers.

Jack Kennedy has the benefit of sitting atop multiple top-level winners, including Teahupoo, Romeo Coolio and Brighterdaysahead, and the yard looks set to remain a powerhouse for seasons to come.

However, with Henderson currently holding more obvious headline acts, the English yard just edges ahead for now.

5) Dan Skelton

This is a job that could climb higher in the coming seasons. Dan Skelton appears to be improving year-on-year, and his brother Harry has been retained since the operation launched in 2013. Their progression has been undeniable, with Dan finishing runner-up to Mullins in the British trainers’ championship for the last two seasons.

Harry also won the inaugural (and only) David Power Jockeys Cup, worth £500,000, last season, demonstrating both the yard’s upward trajectory and the financial upside of the job.