Bowen doubles up at Newbury


News of the rest of the action at Newbury on Saturday, where Sean Bowen rode a double, including Warriors Tale for boss Paul Nicholls.

Warriors Tale followed up a win at the track three weeks ago off a 7lb higher mark in even more impressive fashion in the Insure With Be Wiser Handicap Chase.

Paul Nicholls' chaser is finally delivering on his early promise with Nicky Richards and now has options at Aintree and Ayr.

Successful jockey Sean Bowen said: "Warriors Tale loves Newbury - I think he has only ever run one bad race here. 

 "He was always going to love the drying ground and he bounced off it - it was ideal. It is good to help Paul Nicholls as much as I can and hopefully he plenty to run now the ground is drying out.

 "The horses are running well and hopefully we can keep banging in the winners.

 "The ground is lovely, perfect all the way round."

Bowen doubled up when Deauville Crystal (9/1) landed the OCSL Juvenile Handicap Hurdle for in-form trainer Nigel Hawke.

The jockey said: "She has done it well. She stepped at the second and how she didn't come down I don't know, so I then gave a chance to get into the race on her own terms rather than forcing her. They went a good gallop and she stays well.

"She had form over two miles on heavy ground, so two miles and three furlongs on better ground was always going to suit and she stayed on well."

Winning trainer Hawke said: "I am very pleased and I thought Sean gave her a peach of a ride. I thought they were going half a gear too quick for her early on but Sean sat on her and gave her a chance to gradually get into the race. She has done it very well.

"We bought Deauville Crystal at Ascot Sales last July. I let Tiger Roll go, so it is nice we kept hold of this one.

"It was Sean's first time sitting on this horse today and he gave her a very cool ride."

Ian Williams' Bodega (7/1) turned what had looked a competitive Be Wiser Insurance Handicap Chase into a procession.

Ridden confidently by Tom O'Brien, he was eight lengths too good for top-weight Call Me Vic.

Winning trainer Ian Williams said: "The horses are flying at the moment. We had a runner here yesterday but the ground was just too tacky for him.

"It has dried up a lot overnight and this horse love good ground.

"Tom has given an exceptional ride. He gave him confidence - the horse got brought down last season and that is why we had kept him over hurdles. It was a big ask to come back to Newbury but he has given the horse a chance and got him jumping well.

"The horse loved the ground and bowled away nicely at the end."

O'Brien added: "It is good to soft ground. It is drying all the time and is lovely ground.

"It was my first time riding the horse. He jumped really well and gave me a good spin.

"He did idle a bit as I got to the front a bit too soon. If I didn't win, I should have been shot!

 "I think he remembered it a bit when he got brought down last season and the good thing about Newbury is that you can get a bit of room and give a horse confidence."

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