Double delight for jockey Bowen at Stratford
YOUNG jockey Sean Bowen was the man in form at Stratford on Saturday, landing a double as the course staged the second of its back-to-back evening meetings, watched by another big crowd, writes David Hucker.
Ten started out in the opening AMG Logistics Alan Fortey Memorial Novices’ Hurdle over two miles, with Bangor winner Lieutenant Gruber a hot favourite to give local trainer Dan Skelton his first winner of the month.
It was Comanche Chieftain who took the field along at a good pace, tracked by second favourite Spring Bok, with Lieutenant Gruber and Harry Skelton travelling well in third.
The complexion of the race changed, however, when Spring Bok was pulled up at the third-last flight by Sam Twiston-Davies, seemingly leaving the way clear for Lieutenant Gruber to pick off the leader on the turn for home.
But, Comanche Chieftain wasn’t for passing, running on strongly for conditional jockey Richard Condon to deny the favourite, whose cause wasn’t helped by a mistake at the last, and follow up his Ffos Las win in good style.
There was another well-backed favourite in the following Llewellyn Humphreys Handicap Chase in the shape of Altiepix, who had been raised 9lbs for his easy course win last month. He had an extra quarter of a mile to travel this time, but was going well enough when joining leader Accessallareas at the third-last fence.
Although holding a clear advantage straightening up for the final fence, Altiepix was soon joined by Forever My Friend, who quickly asserted with Sean Bowen, and was run out of second spot by the staying-on It’s A Gimme approaching the line to add to punters’ misery.
There was a competitive-looking field for the Class 2 Mid Warwickshire Cleaning Handicap Hurdle, with Court Minstrel, a good fourth in Haydock Park’s Swinton Hurdle last month, topping the weights.
Next in the handicap was course winner Rossetti, who was looking to follow up his recent Warwick win, but was running from a rating of 135, one pound above his highest-ever winning mark.
It was Rossetti who set off in front and, with Noel Fehily able to dictate the pace, he quickened off the home bend to steal a crucial advantage, which he held to the line to deny the late flourish of Court Minstrel and record his 15 career victory.
There was another good prize fund for the Technicair Airconditioning Handicap Chase in which the fancied Baby King was a non-runner, leaving just five, with the betting headed by the Skelton-trained Cobra De Mai.
Up front, it was De Faoithesdream and Adam Wedge who were setting a good pace, but they were passed after the penultimate fence by Noche De Reyes, who was being chased by Newton Abbot winner Dream Bolt.
Showing a good turn of foot, Dream Bolt came away on the run-in to bring up Bowen’s double and take him to eight wins for the season and a career total of 197 in just his fifth year of riding.
The rain that had been threatening duly arrived as the runners went down to the start for the longest race of the evening, the White Swan Hotel Handicap Chase over three and a half miles.
As often seems to happen, the longer the race, the closer the finish, and so it proved again as 9-4 favourite Optimistic Bias fought back after being headed by Gorsky Island going to the final fence to win by three-quarters of a length, with the fast-finishing EmeraldRose just a short head away in third.
“He’s very tough and been a fantastic horse” said winning trainer James Evans. “He relaxes so well and gets the job done and we will keep him on the go over the summer.”
There was a gamble in the Charles Peters Novices’ Handicap Hurdle as Samson, trained by Sophie Leech at Westbury-on-Seven, was backed from 20-1 into 11-1.
His supporters never had an anxious moment as, once James Best sent him into the lead after the second-last flight, he went further and further away, winning by 21 lengths.
The was an upset in the concluding Caravan And Motorhome Show Maiden Open National Hunt Flat Race as 4-1 shot Spice Girl ran down odds-on favourite No Hiding Place close home to bring up champion jockey Richard Johnson’s 27 winner of the season.
