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Queensbury rules for Bowen team

Mickey Bowen celebrated what he described was an ‘unbelievable’ success after Queensbury Boy helped uphold his family’s honour when finishing with a flourish to land the Betway Summer Plate Handicap Chase.

The Welsh handler became the final member of his family to lift the £75,000 contest after the gelded son of Doyen turned his recent form around in the extended two miles and five furlong contest, which his dad, and former trainer Peter, won a record eight times.

One of three runners in the race for Bowen, the 15/2 chance, who was picked up out of the David Maxwell dispersal sale last year, was on something of a retrieval mission after failing to fire as favourite in last month’s Summer Cup at Uttoxeter.

However, there was to be no denying the Martin Gowin & David Jewers-owned gelding on this occasion with James Bowen, brother of the winning trainer, getting the perfect tune out of his mount when it mattered most.

Victory looked to be heading the way of the Dan Skelton-trained 3/1 favourite Kingston Narcissus, who having travelled in amongst rivals for much of the race, was produced to move into a slender lead in between the final two fences.

Although still with plenty of rivals snapping at his heels the market leader looked to have enough of a gap to hold on to victory, but as the line approached Queensbury Boy was produced with expert timing to get up in the shadows of the post to score by a neck.

And while the second season handler celebrated the biggest success of his career he was quick to give a special mention to his dad for persuading him in running Queensbury Boy.

He added: “After the Summer Cup I wasn’t going to run him. I was going to turn him away. He was in great form the week after and dad said ‘what are you doing turning this one away on a break as he will win the Summer Plate’, and how right he was. It is thanks to him that he is running.

“I actually thought King Roly would run well if he handled the big handicap, but he was probably a bit green early on, but he stayed on well at the end. Pour Les Filles ran a great race and Sean (Bowen) was very keen on him, but he got hampered by that faller.

“He has been frustrating as he has been running well without winning. He loves going right handed and good ground so it would have been silly not to come here. It was only five yards before the line that I thought he was going to win it though.

“It is unbelievable to win the race. Dad knows what it takes to win it and it is unbelievable to carry the tradition on, and hopefully we can for many years to come.”

And while his dad might no longer be on the license he admitted at being proud at seeing his son capture a race that he made his own.

Peter Bowen said: “It is brilliant to see, and the three boys have all now had winners today. I said all along that this horse would be a Summer Plate horse and a Topham horse.

“He has just taken a bit of time to himself. He was lean when we got him, and he couldn’t put weight on at all, but he has just bloomed. He has just come looking right and I think there is a lot more in the tank as James said he couldn’t pull him up afterwards.”

Summer Hurdle High for Owen team

James Owen once again proved the man with the Midas Touch in the Betway Summer Hurdle after High Fibre looked a shrewd piece of business when landing a major gamble to get his career back on track.

After saddling Cavern Club to glory in the extended two mile prize 12 months ago, the Newmarket handler repeated the trick with the gelded son of Vadamos in the £50,000 event.

Picked up for just £15,000 out of the yard of Harry Fry, the seven-year-old, who was as big as 16/1 on Friday, enjoyed a recent pipe-opener on the Flat at York eight days ago to put him spot on for his return to jumps.

Although in top gear for much of the race, the well-backed 7/2 chance appeared to benefit from the strong pace, which for the bulk of the contest was cut out by Newtown Rambler, who was seeking a four-timer.

As the field headed for home for the final time it looked as though top weight Indemnity had slipped his rivals after opening up a sizeable advantage on the run down to the two flights after moving past the long time leader.

However, as his stride began to shorten after the last High Fibre swept by under Sean Bowen before going on to collect by two-and-three-quarter lengths to give the champion jockey his second winner on the card.

Owen said: “He stayed really well, but it is a long run in today. He was off the bridle most of the way around as they went a hell of a gallop, which they do in this race. I thought he was well-handicapped.

“We ran him at York the other day and we learnt a lot that day. We took all the headgear off, but he was just looking around that day. I hoped that the visor would bring out that bit of improvement and it has. He was good and honest today. It was a good performance.

“He is usually a strong traveller in his races and I thought a better race would suit him, but they took him off the bridle, but it has sort of fallen in his lap. Off a light weight, and a great ride, he has won well.

“I thought he would slot in this race well. If Tripoli Flyer had of run we wouldn’t have run as we would have been out of the handicap.

"We were praying that wasn’t going to run, but that has suited him well. I knew he would come home off that light weight, and he was going better in the last half a mile than anywhere else in the race so it was pleasing.”

A return to the Flat looks likely now for High Fibre with Owen confident he still has more to offer in that discipline as well.

Owen added: “I think this horse will go back on the flat now as over two miles he has got untapped potential. Sean was of the opinion then that over jumps he is crying out for two and a half miles, but over two miles, with some headgear on, he is well handicapped on the flat.

“We will then go back over hurdles in the autumn. He is a great buy for a syndicate that have supported me since I’ve started.”

Bowen shines on Haku

Master Haku was the beneficiary of an all-action ride from champion jockey Sean Bowen after returning to winning ways in the Betway Free Bet Club Novices’ Hurdle.

Having failed to complete when upped to three miles at Kilbeggan last time out, the Gordon Elliott-trained five-year-old was not for passing under a determined Bowen dropped back to an extended two-and-a-half miles.

After sitting off the early pace, which was cut out for much of the race by Nobotheratall, the 11/8 joint-favourite loomed large behind his fellow market leader Loriko, who was seeking a hat-trick of wins, pressing down to the last.

It looked as though the momentum was firmly with the gelded son of Masked Marvel after winging the last, however he had to be kept up to his work all the way to the line by Bowen before obliging by half a length.

Bowen said: “I don’t know what happened last time, but he pulled up with a circuit to go. Something bizarre happened and that wasn’t his running. He stays well, and he actually needed every yard of that trip to get up. He showed a good attitude.

“The two jumps over the last two probably did seal the deal, but he had to be brave when he needed to be. He felt like he got every yard of that trip so going back up in distance might well be an option with him in the future.”

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