James Bowen, whose fine season has been slightly overshadowed by his elder brother Sean’s cracking campaign, had the spotlight on him on Saturday when he landed Kempton’s main race, the Lanzarote Hurdle on Iberico Lord.
The 24-year-old was riding his 72th winner of the year on Iberico Lord, which puts him within touching distance of beating his previous best of 85 from last year.
And he was thrilled to strike on the gelding, who is trained by Nicky Henderson and runs in the familiar green and gold silks of leading owner JP McManus.
He only got the ride because Nico de Boinville, Henderson’s stable jockey, is on the sidelines through injury and said: “I spoke to the boss and we agreed on the plan and we said we would see what happened and he’s done it well. I think the trip definitely helped and the whole complexion of the race suited him.
“He’s dropped down to a nice weight as well which probably told. It’s the first time I’ve ridden him for a long time, but he felt good anyway.” Bowen won the Lanzarote in 2018 on William Henry. “It doesn’t feel that long ago, but I must be getting old now,” he added.
Sean Bowen, meanwhile, got in on the act by riding a winner at Ffos Las on Thursday for the brothers’ eldest sibling Mickey.
That came in a novice handicap chase on Pour Les Filles (photographed), who strolled home by 15 lengths at a meeting put on late because of recent abandonments due to the weather.
Ogmore-by-Sea trainer Christian Williams was represented on the Ffos Las card, but it was at Kempton where he landed a winner courtesy of Williethebuilder, who was on top in a 2m handicap hurdle.
The seven-year-old had also obliged at the track over Christmas and looks progressive for former jockey Williams, who has had 15 winners this season.
There were also a couple of Welsh-related winners at Exeter last week courtesy of Bonza Boy, who was ridden by Tenby-born Lorcan Williams, while Carmarthen
native Ben Jones did the steering on Silver Thorn.
He is having a campaign to remember and his 51 winners include the King George VI Chase on Harry Redknapp’s The Jukebox Man.
That haul puts him in the top ten in the British jumps jockeys’ championship for 2025-26, which has been dominated by Sean Bowen, who won the title last year and will retain it barring a disaster.
He is likely to be in action when Chepstow next races on January 27. The course lost a fixture recently through frost, but hopefully the spell of bad weather is in the past. Racing that day is due to start at 1pm, while Ffos Las will host a meeting three days later on January 30th.
Six races, beginning at 1.20pm, are scheduled and more details, including ticket prices and how to buy them, can be found on the respective tracks’ websites.
