Tag Archive for: Sean Bowen

Murphy proud to have played big part in Bowen title triumph

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Olly Murphy is backing Sean Bowen to stay on top of the jockeys’ tree for many years to come after he was crowned champion for the first time.

An untimely injury derailed last season’s charge for the title as he had to settle for second behind good friend Harry Cobden, but Bowen left nothing to chance this time around as he powered his way to first place in the jockeys’ standings.

A fine year for both Bowen and his chief ally in the training ranks was capped off at Sandown on Saturday when Resplendent Grey fought off the Willie Mullins invasion to claim the bet365 Gold Cup and Murphy was proud of the part he played in helping his stable jockey to the trophy.

“It’s been an unbelievable year and I texted Sean on Saturday morning and said sorry I hadn’t provided him with a Grade One winner, but we’d just about done everything else,” said Murphy.

“I’m very proud of him and I texted him when he was second last year to say keep your chin up and next year we’ll be there polishing that trophy. I quoted that message in the WhatsApp I sent him on Saturday morning and it’s great to be able to celebrate his achievement – no one deserves it more than him.

“We’ve had a phenomenal year and the horses have just kept rolling. I know I keep saying it, but I love working with Sean and we get on really well.

“His main attribute is that when he gets down off a loser, he’s the most unbelievable man to speak with owners after a horse gets beat. In two minutes, he can convince an owner that in three weeks’ time their horse will win – and that’s so important in an industry where you’re trying to provide entertainment, but more often than not, you lose.

“I think in sport there has to be a line of respect and have trust in each other. I have enormous trust in him and I would like to think he has trust in me and I think that is shown by our figures and winners this year.

“We’ve won plenty of major handicaps and had graded winners and I’m aware more than anyone we haven’t had that Grade One winner, but they will come and we’re getting there.”

Murphy also hopes his fruitful association with the new champion jockey can continue for many years to come as he continues to grow his Warren Chase operation.

When asked if he could see Bowen retaining his title over the coming years, Murphy answered: “Why not!

“But in order for him to keep winning, you need a big yard behind you and everyone wants Sean Bowen’s services.

“Hopefully, he’s going to work for me for the next 10 years and I’m very lucky to have him as my stable jockey and I’d like to think he thinks he’s lucky to have my stable and owners behind him as well.

“If my owners keep getting behind me like they are and the horses stay healthy, then they are going to have the best jockey in England in their corner. Hopefully, the future is bright and he’s just an extremely popular young lad.”

With the jumping action now taking a brief pause, Bowen will jet off to Tenerife for his stag do, but Murphy will be missing from the trip, electing for a shorter flight to Ireland rather than the Canaries.

Murphy added: “Regrettably, I’m not going on the stag do, I’m going point-to-pointing in Ireland and probably buying a few more horses. I got let off lightly I think, but hopefully he has a good time, comes back in one piece and we’ll be all systems go to start again next weekend at Uttoxeter.”

Resplendent Grey seals golden season for Sean Bowen

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Resplendent Grey was an appropriate winner of the bet365 Gold Cup for new champion jockey Sean Bowen and chief supporter Olly Murphy.

Murphy has provided Bowen with over 100 winners as the Welshman secured a first title, and it was apt the two took out the last major handicap of the season together.

Bowen has made a name for himself for winning from unpromising positions and this was another one.

While Resplendent Grey travelled better than he had done all season in first-time cheekpieces, he was still flat out as Rachael Blackmore cruised to the front on Lombron.

However, with Bowen, who heads off for his stag party in Tenerife on Sunday, still in striking distance after jumping the last, there appeared to be an inevitability about the result and the 9-2 chance won by a length.

Resplendent Grey still had work to do jumping the last
Resplendent Grey still had work to do jumping the last (Steven Paston/PA)

Given Willie Mullins was second, third, fourth and fifth with Lombron, High Class Hero, Spanish Harlem and Grangeclare West, he was confirmed as champion trainer for a second successive year.

Murphy said: “That was brilliant. I told him I wasn’t going on his stag do yesterday but I might go now!

“What can I say to top today off, for Sean more importantly, today is his day. I’ve been a small cog in his wheel, I’m very proud of him and he’s been a massive part of Warren Chase.

“I’m an emotional man when I’m happy, I always have been. There’s a big team behind me and a big team behind Sean. Andrew Thornton (Gold Cup-winning jockey) does an awful lot with him, I’m just a small part but he’s champion jockey and just won a big race, so it’s brilliant.

“You have to pinch yourself sometimes, I’m very hard on myself. I text Sean this morning to say ‘I’m sorry I haven’t given him a Grade One winner this year’ but that was great.”

Sean Bowen with the bet365 Gold Cup
Sean Bowen with the bet365 Gold Cup (Steven Paston/PA)

Bowen told ITV Racing: “That’s amazing, it’s been the best two weeks of my life and I hope it carries on forever!

“To have my family here is great but I’ve got to give a big mention to Olly Murphy, how someone has kept his horses in that good a form all season I’ll never know.

“He’s got a 25 per cent strike-rate which is unheard of really and 56 per cent of the horses he has run have won which is also unheard of, so he’s doing something right.”

Bowen four-timer features half-brother to Douvan and Jonbon

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On the eve of being crowned champion jockey for the first time, Sean Bowen lit up Perth with a four-timer, with bumper winner Wilstar justifying his tall reputation.

As a half-brother to multiple Grade One winners Douvan and Jonbon, Olly Murphy’s youngster has plenty to live up to.

Sent off favourite for his debut at Warwick, he finished third, form franked by the winner subsequently, and the punters kept the faith, making him the 6-4 market leader in the Goodbye Charlo Thanks For Everything Open National Hunt Flat Race.

Wilstar briefly looked in a bit of bother but found an impressive turn of foot to go and win by three lengths.

Both Bowen and Murphy celebrated four winners. They teamed up in the opening Campbell & Son Roofing Novices’ Hurdle on Junker d’Allier (4-7 favourite) and the Alastair Down Novices’ Handicap Chase with Heard That (5-2 favourite).

Bowen also rode Fairlawn Flyer (11-4 favourite) to what looked an unlikely success in the QuinnBet Highland National Handicap Chase for his father and brother, Peter and Michael, while Murphy employed Lewis Saunders to win on Wa Wa (15-2) in the Campbell & Son Roofing Handicap Hurdle.

Bowen hoping to be Resplendent with championship crown

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Sean Bowen has already pledged to come back for more as he prepares to lift the British champion jump jockey trophy for the first time at Sandown on Saturday, where he hopes to end on a high.

The 27-year-old has finished second in the table for the past two seasons, missing out narrowly to Harry Cobden last term after a pivotal spell out of action due to injury.

This time luck has stuck around throughout the campaign for the Welshman, who hails from Fishguard and was raised in a racing family as his father Peter trains on a joint licence that he will hand over solely to his eldest son Michael next year.

Bowen credits the support of his parents for the upwards trajectory his career has followed up to his first title, a career which began on the family gallops and then the pony racing field.

“It’s something you dream of as a kid and you’re racing the ponies up the gallops. You dream of being AP McCoy, Richard Johnson and Brian Hughes, I can’t quite believe it’s going to be me,” he said.

“It starts with my parents, they’ve always been my biggest supporters, and then my agent (Alain Cawley) has done an incredible job.

“He’s certainly kept me very busy anyway! By Saturday, I’ll have had nearly 900 rides and AP McCoy only had over 900 rides in two seasons of his career.

“It’s a lot of rides and it’s kept me very busy.”

Olly Murphy has provided the bulk of Bowen’s runners and before the curtain falls on the season at Sandown, the two will team up with Resplendent Grey in the bet365 Gold Cup.

Interestingly, the grey’s form connects with Bowen’s highlight of the season, which was winning the Irish Grand National aboard Rebecca Curtis’ Haiti Couleurs – a horse who beat Resplendent Grey into fourth in the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

“Olly Murphy has been my biggest supporter trainer-wise,” said Bowen, who has reached three figures for the Warren Chase Stables handler this term.

“Resplendent Grey was behind Haiti Couleurs and obviously that form has turned out very, very well. I think that experience of a handicap would have done him the world of good.

“He goes into the race with no weight on his back, he’s got course form at Sandown and he’s got form over the trip. To be honest, I can’t find many negatives, he’s my big ride on Saturday and I’m really looking forward to it.”

While counting his blessings as the moment he receives the trophy approaches, Bowen is already determined to target a second title next season.

“It’s a crazy amount of work, but I want to win it again, I’m very proud to have won once and as a kid the dream was to be champion,” he said.

“I’m so blessed, everything’s gone so well and from the start of my riding career I couldn’t ever imagine getting here.

“I’m so lucky and I’ve got great support, I’m really looking forward to picking up that trophy on Saturday.

“No one will ever take that away from me now, I want to do it again, but nothing will take away how good this season has been.”

And if being crowned champion jockey is not enough to celebrate, Bowen will be marrying fiancee Harriet Andrews in the summer.

He said: “I am not very good at organising things like that, so I’m leaving it to Harriet!

“We are really looking forward to it and have been together since I was a conditional with Paul Nicholls.”

‘Proud moment’ in store for Peter Bowen on Saturday

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Peter Bowen has hailed son Sean Bowen’s “terrific attitude” ahead of what he says will be a proud day for the whole family at Sandown on Saturday.

A year on from finishing second in the jockeys’ standings – and 10 years after being champion conditional – the 27-year-old will be crowned champion jockey for the first time, a victory made all the sweeter after injury saw him surrender a hefty lead to Harry Cobden 12 months ago.

“It will be a proud moment for the whole family and it is what Sean has always dreamed of, so it is fantastic he has gone and done it now,” said Peter Bowen.

The Bowen family after Sean Bowen rode his 1000th career winner earlier this year
The Bowen family after Sean Bowen rode his 1000th career winner earlier this season (PA)

“It’s great he’s won it this year as last year was soul destroying, being plenty clear and then having his injury and in the end he only lost out by five or six. The season he’s had has been fantastic.

“He’s been champion in all codes now – he was champion pony racing, champion novice rider in point-to-points, champion conditional and now champion jockey. God willing, we’ll all be there on Saturday.”

Explaining just what he thinks has been critical to his son amassing an unassailable lead in the title race, Bowen expanded: “He’s a very good judge of pace for a start, and he doesn’t mind going anywhere to ride a horse.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s a 100-1 shot or if he has to go to Perth to ride one, he will still go and do it – he has a terrific attitude towards the job.”

Sean Bowen has rattled up over 170 winners in his charge for the title, but his father also gave a nod to the champion elect’s younger brother, James, who himself has found the scoresheet over 80 times and is credited with driving his sibling on.

James Bowen (left) and Sean Bowen at Cheltenham earlier this year
James Bowen (left) and Sean Bowen at Cheltenham earlier this year (David Davies/PA)

Bowen added: “Both of the boys are extremely fit and if they are not riding they will be in the gym or running five or 10 miles – they’ve both had great seasons.

“They never stop working at it and they bounce off each other and always discuss their rides and work as a sort of a team.”

And after failing to make it to Ireland to watch his eldest son win the Irish Grand National aboard Rebecca Curtis’ Haiti Couleurs on Easter Monday, Bowen is planning a trip to Punchestown after it emerged James Bowen is in line to partner Constitution Hill in the Boodles Champion Hurdle on May 2.

“All being well for James with Constitution Hill – and he’s got a piece of work to do on Friday and some schooling this weekend, I think – he’s hopefully going over to Punchestown and I would definitely go over to watch that,” continued Bowen.

“I should have gone to watch the Irish National on Monday, but I never got round to going, that was a massive day.”

Haiti Couleurs collects brilliant Irish National victory

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Haiti Couleurs put up a tremendous performance to win the Boylesports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse for Rebecca Curtis and Sean Bowen.

A winner at the Cheltenham Festival last month when his regular rider Bowen missed out, the champion jockey-elect in the UK was back in the saddle and gave his mount the perfect ride up front.

Sent off at 13-2, Haiti Couleurs was in the front pair throughout along with Bushmans Pass and when that one dropped away it became a case of could he hold on.

The Ted Walsh-trained veteran Any Second Now emerged as a big threat, as did the favourite Quai De Bourbon, while Dunboyne had also travelled well into contention.

But Bowen had saved plenty and he went away to win by three and a quarter lengths from the gallant Any Second Now – was was finishing in the runner-up spot for the second year running – with Quai De Bourbon third and Dunboyne fourth.

Bowen told RTE: “I honestly can’t believe it. He was doing a half-speed the whole way round, he was hacking and at the same time I was frightened as he got fairly revved up beforehand.

Haiti Couleurs on his way to victory
Haiti Couleurs on his way to victory (Damien Eagers/PA)

“I actually thought I’m a bit too keen, as he was doing everything in second gear. I’m so grateful to everyone, obviously I couldn’t ride him at Cheltenham and I’m so grateful to Becky for letting me back on him.

“He just stays very well and jumps very, very well. No words, no words.”

Bowen – who was having just his second ride at Fairyhouse, his first being earlier in the day – added: “To be champion jockey is all I’ve ever wanted and I supposed when you get it then you want to do more. I need the big winners as well and it’s great that this lad has done it for me.”

Jubilant scenes for winning connections
Jubilant scenes for winning connections (Damien Eagers/PA)

Pembrokeshire-based Curtis said: “Sean just said to me there ‘I thought we had another circuit to go, I was in second gear the whole way’.

“He is so tough to do it like he has done it, on that ground as well as it was a bit of a worry – but it wasn’t a bother to him.

“He does (travel through his races). Although he stays well, he is not what I call a slow horse at all. He has got a high cruising speed.

“I think this feels like one of our best wins, just the atmosphere and everything.

“I did feel the pressure, I haven’t slept for about two weeks. I was calm until the last two fences.

A kiss for winning jockey Sean Bowen from trainer Rebecca Curtis
A kiss for winning jockey Sean Bowen from trainer Rebecca Curtis (Damien Eagers/PA)

“To me, it is a bigger win than Cheltenham because it is hard to come here and win an Irish handicap, I know that.”

When asked if he could be a Gold Cup horse next year, she replied: “If he keeps improving, yes.”

Following the race, Walsh announced the JP McManus-owned Any Second Now – who has also finished runner-up and third in the Grand National at Aintree – had run his last race and would be retired.

Bowen savouring National chance with Three Card Brag

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Sean Bowen will try to fulfil his boyhood dream in Saturday’s Randox Grand National as he teams up with Gordon Elliott’s Three Card Brag at Aintree.

Bowen, who has a healthy lead over Harry Skelton in the jockeys’ championship race, has ridden plenty of winners for one of Three Card Brag’s owners, Max McNeil, through his association with Olly Murphy.

“The Grand National is a race I’ve dreamed of winning since I was a young boy, it’s the one race everyone has heard of, and if you win it, that can never be taken away from you,” said Bowen, who is a Coral ambassador.

“I finished fourth on Noble Yeats two years ago, that’s my best finish, but every ride I’ve had in the race has been exciting, changes have been made to it we know, but it’s still very special for a jockey to ride in it.

“I’ve enjoyed plenty of luck riding for Gordon and Max McNeill, so I think a conversation took place between Gordon and Max, and both were keen for me to ride Three Card Brag, which I was very grateful for. I’ve not ridden him before but he’s been trained for the race, and there is no better man than Gordon to aim a horse at the National, his record in the race speaks for itself.

“He will get in the race off a lovely looking weight, he seems to jump well, and he stays well, so he should go into the race with a chance. It’s the National though, so I can’t be taking anything for granted, but it’s a really exciting ride to have.”

Another jockey looking for his first win in the race is Jonjo O’Neill jr, who is out to achieve something his famous father never managed by riding the winner.

O’Neill jr partners Iroko for Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero, and he is the leading British-trained contender.

“I’m well aware that anything can happen in the National, so you don’t get yourself too worked up, but his prep has been very good and it’s going to be the first time that I’ve got a horse with a real chance in it. He’s got a nice weight, he’s had a nice preparation and I wouldn’t want to swap him. You can make a case for a lot of the contenders,” O’Neill told Betfred.

“I am excited because I genuinely can’t see any flaws in him at the minute and he’s got a lot of things going for him, he just needs a bit of luck now.”

Johnny Burke, who on Monday had been booked to ride Stay Away Fay for Paul Nicholls, has now switched to Willie Mullins’ Minella Cocooner, leaving Paul O’Brien to take the ride as the original intended jockey Bryony Frost is also unavailable.

Go Dante returns to form for Imperial Cup repeat

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Go Dante produced a perfectly-timed run to repeat his victory of last year in the Betfair Imperial Cup Handicap Hurdle at Sandown.

High Point was the last horse to win successive renewals of the two-mile feature in 1952 and ’53 and it looked as though Go Dante (6-1) was up against it as he had failed to figure in six starts since his victory 12 months ago.

Racing off a 2lb lower mark than last year, Olly Murphy’s charge travelled well throughout in the hands of Sean Bowen as Knickerbockerglory set out his stall early but was starting to feel his prior efforts at the penultimate obstacle.

That allowed Afadil to grab the initiative on the run to the final flight, but Bowen was stoking up Go Dante down the middle of the track and he kept finding for pressure.

Afadil was still in front a matter of strides from the line but Go Dante did not waver and claimed the £51,440 first prize by half a length.

Wreckless Eric finished with a flourish between horses to grab second, with Afadil third and Tintintin taking fourth, while favourite Bo Zenith never featured for trainer Nicky Henderson.

Go Dante (right) finished with a flourish at Sandown
Go Dante (right) finished with a flourish at Sandown (Steven Paston/PA)

Murphy said: “I’ve learned in a short period of time training you have to have a plan, especially for these bigger handicaps, and thankfully the plan today has paid off.

“I have to thank my team at home and he got a very good ride off Sean. I just feel like me and Sean are really working well as a team – he believes in me and I believe in him – and the last two Saturdays have been £100,000 handicaps that we’ve won together.

“He’s been running in these big handicaps all winter long and lost his mind at Ascot, but then ran a little better at Windsor and was in the process of running well in the old Betfair (William Hill Hurdle, Newbury) before nearly getting brought down.

“He’d slipped to a nice mark and I just thought he was starting to click and he loves this place. I was nervous about the ground otherwise I would have been very sweet on him, but he was fantastic.

“He stays very well over two and staying seems to have won him the race today and I think the ground is slower than anticipated. He was sharp and right for today and he’s picked up a big pot, it’s nice the plan has paid off.

A £100,000 bonus is on offer should Go Dante follow up in the William Hill County Hurdle at Cheltenham next week, but Murphy rates a quickfire return unlikely at present.

He said: “He’s had a hard race today, like he did last year, but I confirmed him today and I said to Barbara (Hester, Owner) that he won’t get in unless he was to win. We’ll have to see how he is, but I imagine he probably won’t run. Today was his main target and it is job done as far as I’m concerned.

“He’s been a star for us and he’s won two Imperial Cups and two huge handicaps, but you know what, I still thought he’d reach a higher level than what he’s reached. He was riddled with injuries as a younger horse and I have to thank my assistant who has done all the work and got him spot on for today.”

Go Dante (right) on his way to victory last year
Go Dante (right) on his way to victory last year (Steven Paston/PA)

Bowen said: “It’s an incredible bit of training from Olly and since his run in the Greatwood (at Cheltenham in November), the plan has been to come here today.

“He’s a horse who needs things to go his way and he loves a stiff track and the ground soft. I was more confident today than I was last year and he just went round in the race better, I always felt the winner whereas I didn’t last year.

“The ground was horrific last year and I’m not sure many horses love that, but this was just soft ground which he enjoys and it was a great performance.

“To have him ready for today was brilliant from Olly, but to be honest they haven’t missed a week all season. Fair play, it’s some effort to keep horses in such good nick for so long and hopefully he can keep doing that for the next few seasons.”

Bowen and Murphy’s partnership has reaped plenty of rewards this term, with the rider currently more than 20 winners ahead of his jockeys’ championship rival Harry Skelton.

He added: “It’s amazing really when you’re trying to go for a jockeys’ title and I’ve ridden over 80 winners for Olly this season which is an incredible amount for one yard. You need a yard like his to win a championship and thankfully we’re building numbers now.”

Booster Bob swoops late to claim Greatwood Gold

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Sean Bowen produced a remarkable riding performance as Booster Bob came from a distance behind to win the BetVictor Greatwood Gold Cup Handicap Chase at Newbury.

With Saint Segal and favourite Billytherealbigred setting a stiff early gallop, Booster Bob appeared to be taken off his feet in the early stages, and was soon well detached from the main group.

As the field began to thin out there seemed to be no way back for Booster Bob, who still was not making up ground with a mile to run as Saint Segal kept up the relenting pace.

That proved too much for Paul Nicholls’ Coral Gold Cup winner Kandoo Kid, who never threatened to get involved, but Vincenzo suddenly appeared on the scene, looking to give Sam Thomas another big Saturday win after Katate Dori last week.

From nowhere, though, Booster Bob began to run on through beaten horses and even before jumping the last, the result began to look inevitable as Olly Murphy’s seven-year-old was gaining ground with every stride.

The 16-1 chance eventually crossed the line a length and a quarter clear of Vincenzo, with Saint Segal staying on for third.

Bowen, currently leading the race to be champion jockey, told Sky Sports Racing: “I don’t know how that happened!

“I actually fancied him coming into today because he’s a weird horse, he’s got loads of ability. We’ve probably been wrong running him over two miles when most of the time it looks like he wants three. It just shows what they can do sometimes.

“He was careful with his jumping. He’s a strange old horse, he actually wants softer ground and was changing his legs on the way round but as he warmed up, his jumping got faster.

“When we passed one he sort of got into it then and when he passed a few more, he took off. From the back of the ditch I felt I could win.

“It’s great for Grahame (Whateley) as he’s a big supporter of Olly’s, so it’s great to get him a big winner. We’ve had lots of winners for him but it’s nice to land a big one.”

Murphy said: “I was thinking I was getting sacked and I was thinking Sean Bowen was too halfway round!

“It was quite remarkable. He just couldn’t go early and halfway I wanted him to pull up and save him for next week, but he took off.

“He’s a very good work horse, stepping up in trip today has helped. We dropped him in because he can be keen. It was a disaster really but it’s worked out!

“What a ride by Sean, I’m very lucky to have him as my stable jockey. These are the races you want to be winning.

“Grahame told me this morning he hadn’t had a bet for £20 years but that he had £5 each-way this morning.”

Sean Bowen celebrates landmark 1,000th career winner

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Sean Bowen, who is out in front in this season’s race to be champion jockey, brought up his 1,000th career winner with a double at Fakenham on Friday.

The son of trainer Peter Bowen, the 27-year-old began his career as a conditional with Paul Nicholls and was champion conditional in 2014-2015, aged just 17, capping his season by partnering the multiple champion trainer’s Just A Par to victory in the season-ending bet365 Gold Cup.

Clan Des Obeaux and Cyrname are just two of the Ditcheat stars he has won on among his 1,000 victories, while he recorded his first Grade One winner in the 2019 Liverpool Hurdle aboard Harry Fry’s If The Cap Fits.

Further top-level success with Fry was provided by Metier, with Hughie Morrison’s Not So Sleepy in the 2023 Fighting Fifth Hurdle and another Liverpool Hurdle triumph with Strong Leader last year Bowen’s other wins at the highest level.

Sean Bowen wins on Strong Leader at Aintree
Sean Bowen wins on Strong Leader at Aintree (Mike Egerton/PA)

He registered a career-best 157 winners when finishing second in a season-long battle with Harry Cobden for the jockeys’ title in 2023-24, but is 12 ahead of Harry Skelton in the current standings as he searches to become champion for the first time.

On reaching the milestone, Bowen said: “I’m delighted to have achieved 1,000 winners, it feels like a huge milestone.

“There is no doubt that my family have played a massive part in my journey. From buying us ponies and taking us across the country, even all the way up to Scotland to go pony racing and then helping when I began as a point-to-point rider, it all gave me a big head start.

“Everything has come from my parents, and they are the reasons I am where I am now. My brothers have also done so much. Mickey, James and I used to ride up the gallops when we were younger and as well as being great fun it was all good experience.”

Speaking to Great British Racing, he continued: “My next goal is to become champion jockey, it is something I have wanted for a very long time so I am very focused on achieving that after a tough battle for the title last year. It has been a great season so far, so hopefully becoming champion jockey something I can achieve. I would also love to have a Cheltenham Festival winner.”

It was perhaps fitting that the landmark winner for Bowen came aboard Olly Murphy’s 11-10 bumper favourite Kefir d’Oudairies.

Bowen and Murphy have struck up a fine association over the past few years and the Warren Chase handler hailed the “ideal role model” with an “unbelievable will to win”.

Murphy said: “It’s brilliant to see and he is riding as well as anyone in the country at the moment and for a young lad to get to 1000 winners as quickly as he has is quite remarkable.

“He’s a massive part of the success we’ve had at Warren Chase in the last few years and I love working with him.

“He’s got an unbelievable work ethic and an unbelievable will to win and he’s a fella you ideally want on your side more than not. He’s the ideal role model for any young lad coming up through the ranks.

“He’s as dedicated as they come and mad on his fitness and his attitude to the job is second to none. I’m very lucky to have him riding my horses, it’s a huge achievement and here’s to the next 1000.”

Haiti Couleurs looks good for Rebecca Curtis at Cheltenham

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Rebecca Curtis looks to have unearthed a horse who could send her back to the big time after Haiti Couleurs put up a fine display at Cheltenham on Saturday.

The Welsh trainer is no stranger to success in the Cotswolds, having enjoyed Festival glory with the likes of Teaforthree, At Fishers Cross and Stayers’ Hurdle hero Lisnagar Oscar.

However, it has been a while between drinks for Curtis, with the latter’s shock win four and a half years ago her most recent at graded level.

A dual winner over hurdles at the end of last season, Haiti Couleurs finished second on his chasing debut at Chepstow in October before going one better in some style at Aintree last month.

He was a 4-1 shot to follow up in the Josh Wyke Birthday Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase and jumped accurately throughout under title-chasing Sean Bowen before digging deep in the home straight to prevail by two and three-quarter lengths.

The staying-on Transmission pipped the 11-8 favourite Peaky Boy to second.

Haiti Couleurs in full flight
Haiti Couleurs in full flight (David Davies/PA)

“He just keeps improving this horse. He obviously had a nice novice season (over hurdles) last season, but he struck into himself quite badly the year before and he actually he missed a full year, so he’s still slightly backward for his age,” said Curtis.

“With racing he keeps improving and I don’t know where he’ll end up really. I really fancied him for the National Hunt Chase because he stays all day, but Sean said he’s improved that much since his Aintree win you wouldn’t know if he’ll end up in the Brown Advisory.

“It’s nice to be back here. We’re getting those types of horses again which will hopefully keep us on the map anyway.”

Bowen brothers share the spoils in Triumph thriller

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There was a thrilling finish to the JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle at Cheltenham as Bowen brothers James and Sean shared the spoils via a dead-heat between Quantock Hills and Teriferma.

James looked to have claimed a decisive advantage when the Warren Greatrex-trained Quantock Hills (11-2) produced a fine leap at the final flight to forge clear.

However, Sean conjured up a late charge from 18-1 shot Teriferma to draw level right on the line, giving Jack Jones a second straight success in this race following An Bradan Feasa’s victory last year.

Irish raider Total Look paid the price for a couple of costly jumping errors in the latter stages and was a neck back in third as the 11-8 favourite.

Greatrex said: “It’s a bit of a family affair for the Bowens, and our fellow is a lovely horse. He never ran on the Flat and he’s just inexperienced really. He travelled through the race very well and I think he’s got a very bright future.

“He just wandered when he hit the front – it’s a big place when you come here for the first time.

“I thought we’d won initially and then I thought we were beat. He was on his own so he had nothing to run with, but he’s a good horse, I’d say.

James Bowen (left) and Sean Bowen (left) following their dead-heat
James Bowen (left) and Sean Bowen (left) following their dead-heat (David Davies/PA)

“He could be a horse for the Boodles (Juvenile Handicap Hurdle). I think he’ll be better on softer ground, he looked the winner from a long way out and we’ve just got there a bit too soon really, I suppose.”

He added: “That’s two runners and two winners at Cheltenham this season for us now – I might not come back! Obviously, what happened to Abuffalosoldier at the last meeting was very sad, but he won and showed everyone what he could do that day. It’s part of the job unfortunately.”

Jones said: “Very happy, it’s a bit of a strange feeling having a dead-heat, but I suppose it’s a winner, isn’t it?

“It was very pleasing. I think if he’d finished second, if he’d dead-heated or if he’d won outright, he was probably the one to take out of the race from where we were and how we hit the line.

“It’s funny because we actually underbid on Quantock Hills in France, which is very strange, and for the two Bowen boys to be dead-heating as well.

“We’ve had our horse two or three months now and he’s been very straightforward. We won this race last year with An Bradan Feasa, who would be a bit more of a thinker I suppose, whereas this lad is a gent.

“Sean said he jumped a bit big and we were slightly on the back foot. He missed three out and was a bit further back than ideal due to his jumping, but the way he’s finished, you’d rather be coming up that hill than slowing up and I’m delighted.

“I thought we were massively overpriced. He’d won two hurdle races and finished second with a big weight, so I don’t know how we’ve gone off at 18-1.

“I thought this lad was a better horse than the lad last year, his schooling had been good and there was no reason why he wasn’t going to be a good horse.

“The Boodles would be a logical step. When Willie Mullins unleashes his juveniles, we’ll probably leave that race (Triumph Hurdle) to them.”

Strong Leader off to solid start for the season at Newbury

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Strong Leader cemented his status as a major player in the staying division with a comeback victory in the Coral Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury.

Olly Murphy’s stable star came of age at the end of last season when successfully stepping up to three miles in the Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree.

The seven-year-old was a 4-7 favourite to pick up where he left off in this Grade Two contest under title-chasing Sean Bowen and knuckled down to get the job done in determined fashion in the end.

Outsider Flight Deck took the four-strong field along for much of the three-mile journey, but it was obvious rounding the home turn that his three chasing rivals had more to give.

Strong Leader moved powerfully towards the front, but was unable to initially shake off the challenge of Monmiral, who was bidding to provide Paul Nicholls and part-owner Sir Alex Ferguson with a treble on the card.

The market leader’s class and stamina eventually kicked in after the final flight, though, and there was three and a half lengths between the pair at the line, with dual Coral Cup winner Langer Dan – who typically runs his best races in the spring – not disgraced back in third.

Strong Leader with connections at Newbury
Strong Leader with connections at Newbury (Bradley Collyer/PA)

Murphy said: “I must admit I didn’t enjoy today, I felt a lot of pressure and I don’t usually. It’s the first time I’ve had a drink at the races in a long time!

“I’m pleased to get that out of the way. It was obviously his first start of the season and I had him as fit as I could get him at home without killing him with work. You’re obviously mindful of the rest of the season, so I did leave a little bit to work with.

“He’s not a flashy work horse and doesn’t do anything overly exuberantly, but on the whole I thought he jumped well bar the second-last.

“Sean knows him well and it was relatively straightforward. He improved the whole way through last season and I’d like to think he’ll do the same this year.”

Sponsors Paddy Power cut Strong Leader to 8-1 from 12-1 for the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March, with the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot on December 21 his likely next target.

“He’s as good a staying, three-mile hurdler as we’ve got this side of the water by the looks of things at the moment and hopefully we can keep progressing,” Murphy added.

“The plan would be to go to Ascot at Christmas, albeit we’ve never won right-handed and it didn’t look like it suited him last year in the Coral Hurdle over two and a half.

“It’s a bit of a question mark going right-handed, but it’s a Grade One and you’ve got to go and have a go sometimes in life.”

As for Cheltenham aspirations, he added: “Is he going to have to improve to beat Teahupoo? No doubt he is going to have to, but it’s only his third start at three miles, so I’m delighted to get that out of the way and get on with the season.”

Battling Bowen vows to keep pushing title rival Cobden

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Win, lose, or draw, Sean Bowen is determined to take plenty of pride from his jockeys’ championship battle with Harry Cobden, which is set to go right down to the wire.

The 26-year-old had built up a substantial lead before suffering an injury at Aintree on Boxing Day.

His time on the sidelines allowed Cobden the perfect opportunity to gain some serious momentum and by the time the Welshman returned to the saddle in early February, his advantage had been eroded to just four.

Since then, the duo have embarked on a ding-dong battle for weighing room supremacy and although Cobden now holds a slender lead with only the final throngs of the season to come, Bowen can be content with his title-chasing efforts.

Sean Bowen has enjoyed a stellar season
Sean Bowen has enjoyed a stellar season (David Davies/PA)

“It’s incredible that I have even got within five (at one stage) with the injury I had and I take a good bit of pride in the fact I have got as many winners as I have and have kept fighting to the end,” Bowen said during a media call organised by Great British Racing.

“Whether I win or lose, I haven’t given it up. It’s not impossible and it has been made a bit harder by Harry riding his winners at Taunton (on Wednesday), but there is no need to stop fighting now, there’s only a few days left.

“I’ve made it quite clear, I’m mad about being champion jockey and hopefully I will have a good few days. But if it doesn’t happen, then next year will be just as important and I will be trying to rattle off as many winners as possible, rack up a lead and hopefully not lose that lead next time.”

Bowen’s injury, suffered when taking a nasty fall from Gordon Elliott’s Farren Glory in the Formby Novices’ Hurdle, has ultimately played a crucial role in this season’s championship.

Sean Bowen made a rapid return from injury
Sean Bowen made a rapid return from injury (David Davies/PA)

During that time on the sidelines, he had to watch on as Cobden not only ate away at his championship lead but also boot home winners that would invariably have been his own, such as Noble Yeats in the Cleeve Hurdle

However, Bowen is philosophical about his time away from the saddle and having initially thought he would be ruled out for the rest of the season, before the assistance of the Oaksey House rehabilitation centre and Dr Jerry Hill helped him make a rapid recovery, he acknowledges injuries are part and parcel of being a jumps jockey.

Bowen said: “It’s a part of racing and I’m not the first person it has happened to. I had six or seven weeks off, which is a long time in racing, and if I was able to just ride five or six winners over that time, I would be level with Harry.

“There were days where it hurt more than others and that first phone call of Dr Jerry Hill saying I would be out for the rest of the season was not a good day, and there were others as well where I missed big winners, Noble Yeats being one at Cheltenham.

Sean Bowen guided Strong Leader to Grade One glory at Aintree
Sean Bowen guided Strong Leader to Grade One glory at Aintree (Mike Egerton/PA)

“So there were days that were more annoying than others but I never got too down about it and at the same time, I’ve had a great season. I’ve had over 150 winners and two Grade One winners, so I don’t have much to complain about.”

One of the hallmarks of this season’s title race has been the good nature of the competition between two riders who are graduates of the same Ditcheat academy and have been weighing room companions since their teenage years.

The two table-toppers sit side by side in the changing rooms, allowing plenty of light-hearted ribbing to take place in the midst of a hard-fought battle.

“It’s been fun and it would obviously be more fun if I was the one leading it and not Harry,” continued Bowen.

“We’ve had plenty of banter about it in the weighing room and no fallings out. I know a few championships that have gone to the wire have ended in a few arguments, but this one hasn’t.”

Meanwhile, Cobden has admitted to having some nerves as the finishing line approaches, with Paul Nicholls’ stable jockey now the man being pursued by his long-time friend – and he is yet to fully consider what it will mean to lift the trophy aloft at Sandown on Saturday afternoon.

“I must admit I was getting a bit jittery,” said Cobden.

“I was quite relaxed about it 10 days ago when I was 15 clear and I thought it would be a miracle for Sean to pull that back, but the last 10 days I’ve barely ridden a winner, so it’s been quite difficult and Sean has been riding loads of winners.

Jockey Harry Cobden is hoping to become champion jockey for the first time
Jockey Harry Cobden is hoping to become champion jockey for the first time (Adam Davy/PA)

“When he clawed back 10 in as many days, I thought I need to pull my finger out here and thankfully Wednesday night was good and I’ve a good book of rides to come.

“I suppose he is unlucky because he has had five weeks out and I would say if Sean Bowen couldn’t ride five winners in five weeks, then it would be a bad job – and if he wasn’t injured, I would say it would be me chasing him at the moment.

“I haven’t thought about winning yet, as I don’t want to count my chickens until they hatch. It’s very much business as usual until Saturday and although I’m seven clear and there’s only three days left of racing, Sean Bowen is riding out of his skin and could pull anything off.”

Ground leading Bowen to look at Topham option for Mac Tottie

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Course specialist Mac Tottie could be rerouted from the Grand National to the Randox Supports Race Against Dementia Topham Handicap Chase if conditions at Aintree remain testing in the lead up to the weekend.

Peter Bowen’s 11-year-old is assured of his spot in the National’s final 34 on Saturday and has thrived at Aintree in the past, winning the Topham two years ago to supplement his victory over the famous spruce in the Grand Sefton earlier that season.

He was last seen scoring at the Merseyside track over the regulation fences on Boxing Day, but his quest to become the first Welsh-trained winner of the Grand National since 1905 will rest on how the track dries throughout the week, with a switch to the shorter Topham Chase a real possibility.

“We’re not sure if we’re going to run him yet,” said Bowen.

“We haven’t decided if he goes in the Topham or the National yet because the ground is going to be pretty bad. Probably if it is very soft he will probably go for the Topham.

“He loves the fences and he loves Aintree, but he’s not a lover of heavy ground though.”

Bowen has won the Topham five times in the past, but it appears both Sean and James Bowen – who have both won over the National fences aboard Mac Tottie – will be unable to receive the leg-up aboard the track regular in Friday’s two-mile-five-furlong event, with title-chasing Sean Bowen required by Olly Murphy and James Bowen inked in against defending champion Bill Baxter.

Mac Tottie winning the Topham in 2022
Mac Tottie winning the Topham in 2022 (Nigel French/PA)

Crack Irish amateur Derek O’Connor is lined up to play the role of able deputy in the Topham, while it is James Bowen who will do the steering if Mac Tottie does go for the National on Saturday afternoon.

“I think Sean is going to ride one of Gordon’s (Elliott) in the National, it sounds like that anyway.

“If Mac Tottie runs in the National then James will ride him and Sean will be probably be on one of Gordon’s.

“James has got the favourite in the Topham and I think Sean will be riding one of Olly’s horses, Grandad Cottage, so I think Derek O’Connor will ride him if the boys don’t ride him in the Topham.”