Matterhorn

Nicholls, who operates one of the most powerful yards in Britain out of Ditcheat in Somerset and has sent out 92 winners already this season, describes Matterhorn as a horse who has grown into something smarter than his early career suggested. The moment that really announced him was Uttoxeter in May 2025, where he carried top weight — the maximum the handicapper can throw at you — and won a top-level Class 2 race anyway. That is the kind of performance that raises eyebrows. Carrying extra weight is designed to give everyone else a chance; doing it in a high-quality race and still winning says something real about a horse.

The partnership with jockey Harry Cobden has been central to all of this. The two have raced together 13 times and won 6 of them — that is nearly 1 in every 2 races, a remarkable ratio at this level. Compare that to Matterhorn's overall win rate of roughly 1 in every 3 races (37% across 19 runs) and it becomes clear that Cobden seems to bring something out in him. Nicholls has noted that Matterhorn has been learning to relax during his races, which in jumping terms means he is conserving energy rather than fighting the jockey — a sign of a horse maturing into himself.

There is a plan forming around him too. Last season he peaked too early and was past his best by the time the big autumn prizes arrived. This year, Nicholls deliberately held him back after Uttoxeter, targeting fast, dry autumn ground — the conditions Matterhorn clearly prefers. A minor setback briefly interrupted that plan, but the ambition is unchanged: find the right race on the right ground and see how high this horse can go.

His record at Taunton — 2 wins from just 3 visits — hints at a horse who can dominate when conditions suit. With Cobden in the saddle, a yard firing on all cylinders, and a trainer who believes the best is still to come, Matterhorn is one to keep watching this autumn.