It was always going to be hard keeping the Bowens out of the winner’s enclosure at Ffos Las last week.
Three of the six races were named in honour of the Welsh racing family’s achievements last season, with Sean being crowned champion jockey for the second year in a row, fellow rider James bagging a century of winners for the first time and trainer Mickey passing the half-century mark in his first full campaign in charge.
In the end they managed just one winner between them. Mickey saddled two runners in the novice hurdle which carried his name, but it was Sean who took the honours with a forceful ride on odds-on favourite Fairye Forth for Pembrokeshire handler Rebecca Curtis.
Sean and Mickey teamed up with the favourite Star Turn in the James Bowen Ton Up Novices’ Handicap Hurdle. But he had to settle for second as Parliamo ran out a convincing winner under a fine front-running ride by amateur jockey Darren Andrews. There was plenty of success for the home team elsewhere on the card. The Welsh got the day off to a flying start with Model Approach taking the two-mile handicap hurdle for Vale of Glamorgan trainer Cath Williams.
The five-year-old was relatively unfancied in the market – he was sent off an 18-1 chance – but led for most of the contest under Conor Ring (photographed) and kept on well along the home straight to see off the persistent challenge of Forever Penywern by a length.
The good run of Gwent trainer Grace Harris continued as she saddled Lion of the Desert to success in a two-and-a-half mile handicap hurdle. It was the six-year-old’s second straight win at the track, having tasted victory in mid-April.
And jockey Lorcan Williams registered his first winner of the season when riding Loki’s Mischief to a comfortable success in the closing handicap chase. A fluent leap at the final fence secured victory for the well-backed 5-2 favourite.
There is more jumps action at Ffos Las on Wednesday, May 20.
Ben Jones landed his first valuable pot of the new jumps season when Somespring Special ran out an impressive winner of a £25,000 handicap chase at Newton Abbot. This is clearly a good time to catch the eight-year-old mare, as six of her seven career wins have come between March and April.
Dai Rees’ stable star Esperti has made a habit out of only winning at racecourses that begin with ‘F’. Since arriving in Britain, he has done all his winning at either Ffos Las, Fontwell or Fakenham. And he went close to repeating the trick in the Norfolk National at Fakenham. He was given a patient ride by Sean Bowen, loomed up threateningly after the second-last fence and looked the winner rounding the home turn. But popular veteran Tommie Beau found more on the run-in and he pulled away from Esperti to win by three lengths.
Esperti’s cause wasn’t helped around the tight, left-handed track as he lost ground by jumping markedly out to his right at the majority of the 22 obstacles.
Jockey Charlie Price got off the mark for the new season when landing a three-mile handicap chase at Ludlow on Sunday on Zacony Rebel.
Our next meeting is Wednesday 20th May when we have six races from 2.50pm. It’s our final jump meeting until October. Our first flat fixture is on Thursday 4th June.
