Thursday 27 March 2025 was, in a way, the most successful day in the history of Welsh racing, when six of its jockeys rode a total of nine winners. Five were at Southwell, consisting of a Sean Bowen treble and one each for Jack Tudor and Callum Pritchard;
James Bowen rode two winners and Alan Johns one at Warwick. David Probert completed the set at Wolverhampton. Three of the nine were for Welsh trainers; Christian Williams (photographed), Tim Vaughan and Bernard Llewellyn.
The finale at Stratford on Saturday was the Service With A Smile Oncourse Bookmakers Handicap Hurdle but it was Sean Bowen who sent punters home with a smile by winning it on the 7/2 joint favourite Tropical Speed. His price couldn’t be justified by form figures of 04436P but only the last two were since he joined the Olly Murphy stable and the P was in the mud at Lingfield. Clearly better was expected this time on very different ground.
Depleted fields at Ascot on Sunday due to firmish going gave an opportunity to the blinkered, often-placed maiden Native Moon, ridden by Lorcan Williams, in the 3m novices handicap hurdle. Held up until hitting the front approaching the final obstacle, he nearly came to a halt there but got over and pulled away on the run-in as if there was more in the tank.
The firm ground was not a problem for Numitor and James Bowen, who have struck up a great partnership in veterans chases this season, winning twice. Now, with the horse tackling three miles for the first time, he won again. He was brought to the front after the second last and a fine leap at the final fence proved that the almost-white eleven-year-old remains in the form of his life.
Though Doncaster was the focus of attention on Saturday, Probert made a wise decision to ride on the all-weather at Kempton, where he had two winners. Glittering Surf showed a good turn of foot to take the conditions stakes impressively. Trainer Owen Burrows has a race at the Dante meeting in mind en route to the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Probert’s other success came, contrastingly, on a seven-year-old gelding having his 48th race. The Lucy Wadham-trained Arqoob’s six wins have been on turf, the all-weather and over hurdles. Probert had finished second by a nose on him last time out and took this opportunity of a drop in grade to go one better.
Looking ahead to the Grand National meeting, Wales may have as many as five entries in the mares bumper on Thursday. The Bowens have Queen Kate and Mighty Fleur and Debra Hamer has Freddiemissmolli, but these are all outsiders. Ben Jones and Jack Tudor have superior prospects on their mounts, Betty’s Daisy and Kingston Queen, both previous winners. Jones’s ride in the 1.45, Handstands, has as good a chance as any, especially if a strong pace is set.
Closer to home, it’s Celebrate Carmarthenshire race day at Ffos Las this Sunday 6th April. The first of seven races is off at 1.50pm. Children aged 17 and under go free.
