Champion jockey Sean Bowen is a hot favourite to win a second National Hunt title and hopes younger brother James can make it a family one-two this season.
Bowen has stormed clear at the top of the jump jockeys’ championship, with 98 winners before racing on Wednesday – 55 ahead of James in second.
“James is having a great season and is currently second behind me in the championship,” said Bowen, who was crowned champion for the first time in April after an untimely injury derailed his charge for the title the previous season.
“Hopefully, we can keep it like that all season.”
The 28-year-old from Pembrokeshire reached 1,000 winners in February and says he has been blown away by how older brother Mickey has taken over the reins from father Peter at the family’s training operation.
Bowen senior passed his licence down to Mickey in May after enjoying 1,105 winners over jumps and winning well over £10m in total prize-money.
Peter Bowen (pictured) transferred his training licence to Mickey Bowen last season
Mickey has had 40 winners and leads the trainers’ championship in its early stages with prize-money of £388,678.
“I can’t quite believe how well Mickey has started,” said Sean. “He’s been incredible.
“I think he has trained almost as many winners already this season as they had last season.
“Things just keep going from strength to strength and he’s doing a brilliant job.
“He has obviously learnt a lot from dad over the years and I know dad is still helping him plenty.
“He has also been to Willie Mullins’ operation to learn there and that hasn’t gone amiss.”
Bowen is relishing the opportunity to be on home ground in Wales this weekend with Chepstow hosting a new three-day jump racing festival.
The Dragonbet Welsh Racing Festival will run Friday to Sunday with 10,000 racegoers expected at the Monmouthshire course.
Jumps racing returns to Chepstow this weekend
“We need to promote Welsh racing all we can, because we’ve got some brilliant trainers and brilliant jockeys and obviously some big owners now as well,” said Sean.
“Welsh racing is thriving at the minute and this big festival meeting at Chepstow is where all the stars will start their season, so it is quite exciting.
“I know Chepstow have done a good job promoting it all and a few owners are telling me about the good deals they’ve done with hotels and buses and different things.
“Even though Chepstow is in Wales, it is quite close to a lot of the jumps trainers over the border.
“So it’s not far for them to go and a three-day festival is brilliant.”
