The leaves are slowly falling off the trees, the delightful sunshine is being replaced with gushes of rain, which can only mean one thing: the jumps is very nearly back.
As per every season, the old guard remain in charge, Richard Johnson is on his quest to add yet another Jockey title, trainers at the top will be jostling to secure their respective title and Cheltenham heroes won’t be giving up their title without a fight. However, there is always room for a breakthrough jockey.
James Bowen started that process in the second half of last season, and the young sensation can rise to the top in the 2018/19 campaign.
The young Pembrokeshire rider, who is the son of trainer Peter Bowen and a part of the Bowen family dynasty, is still only in his teens yet already can boast of having an impressive CV for his age.
Bowen registered 30 wins in his first point-to-point season and caught the eye of Britain and Ireland’s leading trainers, including Nicky Henderson, for whom he is now attached to as his conditional jockey.
His biggest achievement came at Chepstow in the Welsh National, where he rode 13-year-old Raz De Maree to a heart-warming victory for Gavin Cromwell.
Further big-race victory followed immediately after the turn of the new year and this was the race that pushed him into the spotlight. Bowen stylishly and confidently rode William Henry to Lanzarote Hurdle success for his boss.
The reports afterwards were glowing for Bowen, with some saying he could be the next AP McCoy.
The conditional jockeys’ title will be the ultimate aim for Bowen this year, however he will without doubt make his way up the pecking order at Seven Barrows this season behind number one jockey Nico De Boinville.
With his useful claim and natural talent, James Bowen will turn into a seriously talented jockey this season, so don’t be surprised if he propels himself into stardom this winter.