There was a truly rare event in the opener at Cheltenham on Saturday, when brothers Sean and James Bowen (photographed) dead-heated for first place. It was a juvenile hurdle, in which James’s mount Quantock Hills was always up with the pace. He led over the last, but running on from fourth place there was Sean riding Teriferma. He steadily eroded James’s lead on the run-in, compounded by Quantock Hills’ tendency to hang left, and they crossed the line together. Both horses had won twice already, yet Quantock Hills was returned at 11/2 and Teriferma 18/1.
Half an hour later, in a 3m1f novice handicap chase, the Bowen brothers again filled the first two places. The tactics were reversed, as Sean was in the van for much of the way and James was riding the fast finisher. But it was Sean who completed a double with the Rebecca Curtis-trained Haiti Couleurs with James on the runner-up. Since moving up to three miles he has won four of his last five races. Before this the National Hunt Chase was a possible target for this out-and-out stayer. However, Sean’s view is that he is improving so much as to make the shorter Brown Advisory or the Ultima feasible Festival targets.
On Sunday Sean rode another double at Carlisle on Grandads Cottage and Shallow River, both for Olly Murphy, which allowed him to go five clear of Harry Skelton in the race for the jockeys’ title. James went to Windsor to take the maiden hurdle on Starcrossed Lover, having his first run for Neil Mulholland’s stable. In doing so he denied an odds-on favourite trained by his main employer, Nicky Henderson. Sam Thomas won the novice chase at the Berkshire track with Dai Walters’ fencing debutant Vincenzo.
Going back to Cheltenham on Saturday, Harry Cobden steered Evan Williams’ Libberty Hunter to a smooth success off a mark of 144 in a good two-mile chase. It was his first run of the current campaign, but the horse was plenty fit enough as the trainer had been kept waiting for the ground to come right. Williams said afterwards that the horse showed signs last season – when he was second in the Grand Annual and third in an Aintree Grade 1 novice – that he might be able to step up from handicaps.
Richard Patrick rode Stormin Crossgales to an all-the-way win in Doncaster’s two-mile chase for Nottinghamshire trainers Charles and Adam Pogson. The horse needs a positive ride and he got it today, jumping boldly and seeing out the trip strongly.
Jack Tudor went up to Newcastle to steer Chemical Warfare to his sixth victory in as many months. He has thrived over fences and stays three miles well, though he takes some knowing according to Tudor. He observed, “You have to put a bit of trust in him because sometimes you tell him what to do and he likes to do the opposite.”
Our final meeting of the year at Ffos Las is Christmas Party Race Day this Thursday 19th December. There are seven races from 12.22pm. Tickets available on the gate and in advance.
