Chepstow’s abandonment on Saturday did not concern Sean Bowen, for he was due to ride at Aintree. However, when that also succumbed to the elements he rerouted to Wetherby and was there for their early start, winning the first race at 10.35 on the 4/9 favourite for Olly Murphy on novice hurdler Diamonds For Luck. He had the best form, having finished second in his two latest outings. Bowen kept things simple, making most of the running, and could be called the winner from some way out. It was his 99th victory of the season. In due course Diamonds For Luck will try chasing, and hope to do better than his two point-to-points in 2023; he fell in both of them.
The weather was worsening in Yorkshire then and the attendance was inevitably small. Only one gallant racegoer stood by the winners’ enclosure to watch the horse being unsaddled. Tim Vaughan and Alan Johns (photographed) had three entries there, but they were all withdrawn due to travel problems. The pair had won at Sandown on Friday with Razzle Dazzle Boy, owned by a local syndicate, the Pant Wilkin Partnership. He travelled pretty well in the typically testing going on the hurdle track, in a race that was run 36 seconds slower than standard. Despite hitting the second last and diving over the final flight, losing the lead, he rallied gamely to regain the advantage and hold on by a neck. This was just his fifth start.
James Bowen was at Huntingdon on Sunday for two rides. The second of them, in the bumper for Nicky Henderson, finished down the field. The first, A Definite Getaway, was withdrawn by his father Peter and brother Mickey, so he switched to the Warren Greatrex runner Theyseekhimthere. It was a good move, because although the horse frequently lost ground by jumping slightly to the left, he battled on well under a strong Bowen drive to win.
In hindsight, first place was predictable. He was winning first time out, as he’d done last year. It was his first time over fences, his first time over three miles, and his first run since a wind op.
Brother Sean was at Kelso, where Gunsight Ridge – who might have won at Cheltenham last month if he’d stood up – ran no sort of race and was pulled up. The Bowen stable’s Fairhill Flyer could well have finished closer than fourth in the four-mile Scottish Borders National but for a mistake three out, but with a descending handicap mark his turn will come at some point this winter.
Chepstow’s next meeting is Coral Welsh Grand National Day on Friday 27th December. Connections of last year’s winner Nassalam are hoping for similarly heavy ground, when he won by 34 lengths. He’ll be racing off only seven pounds higher this time.
Our final fixture of 2024 at Ffos Las is Thursday 19th December. After that there’s an interval until Thursday 30th January.
