Sean Bowen produced another wonderful feat of jockeyship to win Cheltenham’s 2m4f handicap chase on Saturday. Riding the Racing Post nap Moon D’Orange, he was sent off the 7/2 favourite but struggled, detached in last place for most of the way, reaching 65/1 in running. After the third last he ran on strongly to overtake the rest of the field quite easily and was just ahead when diving at the final fence and making a terrible blunder. Somehow Moon D’Orange stayed on his feet, Bowen stayed on his back and they regained the lead close home to land the £56,270 first prize by a short head.
James Bowen (photographed) landed Doncaster’s Grade 2 Mares’ Hurdle on the Irish mare Jetara. With first-time cheekpieces she made it 2-2 over three miles, tenaciously holding off the favourite Kateira, who’d appeared to be going better when challenging after the final flight. Jetara was clearly on good terms with herself, having dumped Bowen on the way to the start.
Earlier on that card Belfrina broke her duck in the Listed fillies’ juvenile hurdle for David Pipe and Jack Tudor. A keen sort, on her latest outing she was poised to win over course and distance when capsizing at the last. She was two lengths down approaching it this time, jumped it adequately and battled on well to overhaul the leader.
Controversy surrounded the win of Evan Williams’ Owl Of Athena in the finale at Uttoxeter. Available at 80/1 briefly in the morning, he was backed down to 85/40 favourite and won by eight lengths. Inevitably the stewards interviewed Williams and forwarded a report on the race to the BHA headquarters.
At Wolverhampton on Saturday evening Thomas Faulkner’s Prince Ali, with the stable’s seven-pound claimer Zoe Lewis up, took the 1m4f apprentices race at 22/1. The combination had scored there in September at 16/1 over almost half a mile less, and managed to win this one despite pulling hard during the first half of what was a slowly-run affair.
A David Evans winner, Meet Me In Meraki, was another good result for the bookies. The 14/1 shot had never finished in the first three on the all-weather in eleven attempts, but this time he made the running and by extending a useful lead turning into the straight his rivals were unable to land a blow.
A patient James Bowen ride got Shuil Ceoil home narrowly in Sunday’s 2m5f hurdle at Fontwell. He led nearing the last, and in increasingly desperate conditions he was all out to repel the determined challenge of the 14/1 runner-up by a neck.
In the next, brother Sean took the honours with Fame And Fun, competing for the Bowen stable for the second time since leaving Paul Nicholls. The Pembrokeshire yard had gone through a 55-runner losing streak until four days earlier. Untried on this day’s heavy going, Fame And Fun was always happy near the front and galloped to a fourteen-length victory,
Unfortunately, our meeting this Thursday 30th January has been abandoned due to waterlogging. Our next fixture is Thursday 6th February when the first race is 1.55pm.
