Jockey goes nuts and sprints up track as his brother wins Grand National meet

04/09/2022

A jockey put his own disappointment and sibling rivalry aside to celebrate his brother's Aintree success by sprinting along the course with the rest of the field.

James Bowen was riding Fantastic Lady, hoping to scoop some Grand National glory by winning the Topham Chase. However, the lady proved not to be quite so fantastic after all as she took an early tumble.

Fortunately, he still had some vested interest in the race. His brother Sean was also involved and rode Mac Tottie brilliantly to stretch clear at the front and take the victory.

ITV Racing cameras caught James running up the course after his brother Sean, keen to be the first to embrace him after he won the race. Moments earlier he had been watching the climax on a nearby screen and cheering loudly as Mac Tottie stretched out a comfortable lead over its rivals.

AP McCoy in commentary said he had "never seen a jockey so happy to fall at the first". While "happy" will have been a stretch for James, who would have wanted to be in contention, it at least gave him the chance to act as his brother's biggest fan.

In the end, the whole thing proved to be a real family affair as the horse that won is owned by Peter Bowen – the two jockeys' father. He too was delighted as he secured his fifth victory in the Topham Chase.

"That's brilliant – I can't talk," Sean Bowen said as he struggled to hold back the tears of joy. "I'm not being biased but Dad is brilliant. When he wants to get one ready, he gets one ready.

"James schooled him a couple of days ago and my other brother, Mickey, always rides him [at home] and the last week or so they couldn't wait for him to run. James was revved to ride him and then he had to ride one [Fantastic Lady] for the boss [Nicky Henderson] and came off at the first."

The horse's trainer Lucinda Russell added: "At Cheltenham [behind L’Homme Presse] he actually learned what he was supposed to be doing, and he just showed it today.

"When he goes left-handed he jumps slightly right, and when he went right-handed he jumped slightly left, so it's just his way of sorting things out for himself. He's got so much power, see the way he jumped the last fence."

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