Today’s best bets, by Chris Corrigan
James Bowen, the 16-year-old jockey who has plundered several big prizes in the past month – including the Welsh Grand National and the Lanzarote Hurdle – maintained his winning momentum at Fontwell on Sunday. He was successful on a 6-4 favourite, Atlantic Roller, for trainer Chris Gordon, following victory on the 5-1 chance Jenkins at Ascot on Saturday for Nicky Henderson, and has prospects of stretching that to a three-day winning sequence when he heads to Fakenham today.
Bowen, who does not turn 17 until March, teams up with Phil Middleton’s Holly Bush Henry (2.25) and, while Saturday’s success finished off his rider’s 5lb claim, that process takes a few days to implement and he is still taking 5lb off today. This pair won at Plumpton on good ground in September, when Bowen’s claim was 7lb and his mount was a couple of pounds lower in the handicap.
Testing conditions add to Fakenham being likely to prove a tougher assignment than Plumpton, but the Bowen factor can prove decisive once more.
Middleton, for whom Bowen won on Exitas in a valuable event at Ascot in November, said on Sunday: “Holly Bush Henry may not want it turning heavy, but he has won on soft. I won’t be giving James any instructions – and there’s not many 16-year-olds who you could say that about. He knows the horse, and in my opinion he is a complete natural and has a gift.”
Fakenham
1.25 Hurricane Rita 1.55 Rio Quinto 2.25 Holly Bush Henry (nb) 2.55 Potters Midnight 3.25 Tower of Allen 3.55 Little Windmill (nap).
Wolverhampton
4.20 River Rule 4.50 Natch 5.20 Desert Doctor 5.50 Sonnetist 6.20 Flight of Fantasy 6.50 Gealach Ghorm 7.20 Hidden Oasis.
The Welsh teenager has a second booked ride, aboard Heresmynumber, in the final race on the card, a conditional jockeys’ handicap hurdle. But the Ali Strong-trained eight-year-old may well find it difficult to hold Little Windmill (3.55). Neil King’s runner has never won over hurdles but turns out here following a chase success on heavy going at this track on New Year’s Day.
Our latest trainer form table
Malcolm Jefferson 38% (8)
Nick Williams 36% (11)
Warren Greatrex 33% (21)
Nicky Henderson 31% (36)
Emma Lavelle 31% (13)
Alan King 27% (15)
Harry Fry 26% (19)
Brian Ellison 25% (12)
Donald McCain 21% (28)
Sue Smith 20% (20)
Kim Bailey 17% (12)
Dr Richard Newland 17% (6)
Tom George 14% (21)
Dan Skelton 13% (39)
Paul Nicholls 13% (16)
Oliver Sherwood 13% (16)
Ian Williams 13% (16)
David Pipe 13% (15)
Lucinda Russell 12% (26)
Colin Tizzard 11% (18)
Rebecca Curtis 11% (9)
Nigel Twiston-Davies 10% (30)
Gary Moore 9% (32)
Kerry Lee 8% (13)
Tim Vaughan 8% (12)
Neil Mulholland 7% (29)
Evan Williams 6% (34)
Philip Hobbs 6% (16)
Charlie Longsdon 5% (22)
Venetia Williams 4% (28)
Jonjo O’Neill 4% (26)
Peter Bowen 0% (11)
Nicky Richards 0% (10)
Fergal O’Brien 0% (7)
Ben Pauling 0% (7)
Chris Cook: As Nicky Henderson’s win-rate has slowed down very marginally from the incredible levels he had been setting, Malcolm Jefferson has inherited the top spot, despite not having had a runner for eight days. The Yorkshire trainer may be represented once more at Wetherby tomorrow.
Warren Greatrex is the biggest riser of the week and probably in the short history of this table, since he was on 0% last week. His Lambourn yard has since had seven winners, including all three of its Saturday runners.
Harry Fry is doing well again, while Colin Tizzard’s tally represents only a couple of winners but one of them was in the Peter Marsh, which counts as a significant strike for a yard that had been quiet. Paul Nicholls has also started winning again but it’s been a couple of weeks since Philip Hobbs had his Saturday treble and he’s threatening to go quiet again.
Each Monday through the core jumps season, we’re monitoring the relative success of 35 major jumps stables. The percentage figure is their win strike-rate for the last fortnight, while their total number of runners in that time is in brackets.
Fakenham 1.25 Hurricane Rita 1.55 Rio Quinto 2.25 Holly Bush Henry (nb) 2.55 Potters Midnight 3.25 Tower Of Allen 3.55 Little Windmill (nap)
Wolverhampton 4.20 River Rule 4.50 Natch 5.20 Desert Doctor 5.50 Sonnetist 6.20 Flight Of Fantasy 6.50 Gealach Ghorm 7.20 Hidden Oasis
