BOWEN JOINS THE 1,000 CLUB WITH A FAKENHAM VALENTINE’S DAY DOUBLE
Sean Bowen, currently leading this season’s jockeys’ championship, recorded the 999th and 1,000th winners of his riding career at the St Valentine’s Day meeting at Fakenham.
Love and respect for Bowen filled the air in the winner’s enclosure as he received the plaudits after win 1,000 on the Olly Murphy trained 11/10 chance Kefir D’Oudairies in the Racing TV open NH flat race.
“Sam Twiston-Davies get close in the home straight and he’s one of the strongest riders so I was so glad to get my horse home,” said Bowen.
That success followed 30 minutes after Bowen collected his 999th winner when getting 11/10 favourite Lyrical Genius home in the Tim Barclay Memorial Chase.
It was dour staying effort by the winner, turned out quickly by trainer Sarah Humphrey after finishing third at Uttoxeter on Saturday.
“It’s great to get to 1,000 career winners and it’s great to do it here at Fakenham. My mum and dad are here so that’s special and here at Fakenham there’s always a great local crowd.
“I suppose the highlight was winning the Topham Trophy at Aintree on my dad’s McTottie a few years ago,” added Bowen, currently with 137 winners this season.
Despite failing to love Fakenham, seven-year-old gelding Edgewell, under a superb ride from Conor O’Farrell, won the Hoof and Holler Handicap Hurdle.
The 13/8 favourite, a winner at Southwell 11 days earlier, defeated his five rivals to continue trainer Rebecca Menzies’ good form.
“He didn’t like it around here one little bit. It’s a lovely course but Edgewell didn’t think so. He didn’t like the tight turns but to be fair showed real heart and kept picking up for me,” said O’Farrell, who constantly had to cajole the best out of his mount.
Jockey Richie McLernon pulled off a perfect waiting game to land the £50,000 Queen Boudicca Qualifier Mares’ Chase on Saint Doctor.
McLernon tracked odds-on favourite Moviddy until the final bend. He then pushed the nine-year-old mare to the front before the last fence to score by two lengths, the Neil Mulholland trained grey returned at 4/1.
Trainer Lucy Wadham’s love affair with Fakenham continued when Aviation won the opening EBF Novice Hurdle under Tom Cannon. The evens favourite led all the way to beat Escapologist, who had beaten Aviation at Fakenham in December.
Caldwell maintained the good form of trainer Jennie Candlish by taking the St Valentine Selling Hurdle under Sean Quinlan. The 100/30 chance sat in midfield throughout the first circuit but was delivered well by Quinlan to overtake 25/1 outsider Diamond Egg to win by four lengths.
The closing William Bulwer-Long Memorial Hunters’ Chase was won by Bardenstown Lad under Eoin Mahon for trainer Sarah Loughnane, returned at 8/1.
