Sean Bowen © Photo Healy Racing
There was a thrilling finish to the JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle at Cheltenham as Bowen brothers James and Sean shared the spoils via a dead-heat between Quantock Hills and Teriferma.
James looked to have claimed a decisive advantage when the Warren Greatrex-trained Quantock Hills (11-2) produced a fine leap at the final flight to forge clear.
However, Sean conjured up a late charge from 18-1 shot Teriferma to draw level right on the line, giving Jack Jones a second straight success in this race following An Bradan Feasa’s victory last year.
Irish raider Total Look paid the price for a couple of costly jumping errors in the latter stages and was a neck back in third as the 11-8 favourite.
Greatrex said: “It’s a bit of a family affair for the Bowens, and our fellow is a lovely horse. He never ran on the Flat and he’s just inexperienced really. He travelled through the race very well and I think he’s got a very bright future.
“He just wandered when he hit the front – it’s a big place when you come here for the first time.
“I thought we’d won initially and then I thought we were beat. He was on his own so he had nothing to run with, but he’s a good horse, I’d say.
“He could be a horse for the Boodles (Juvenile Handicap Hurdle). I think he’ll be better on softer ground, he looked the winner from a long way out and we’ve just got there a bit too soon really, I suppose.”
He added: “That’s two runners and two winners at Cheltenham this season for us now – I might not come back! Obviously, what happened to Abuffalosoldier at the last meeting was very sad, but he won and showed everyone what he could do that day. It’s part of the job unfortunately.”
Jones said: “Very happy, it’s a bit of a strange feeling having a dead-heat, but I suppose it’s a winner, isn’t it?
“It was very pleasing. I think if he’d finished second, if he’d dead-heated or if he’d won outright, he was probably the one to take out of the race from where we were and how we hit the line.
“It’s funny because we actually underbid on Quantock Hills in France, which is very strange, and for the two Bowen boys to be dead-heating as well.
“We’ve had our horse two or three months now and he’s been very straightforward. We won this race last year with An Bradan Feasa, who would be a bit more of a thinker I suppose, whereas this lad is a gent.
“Sean said he jumped a bit big and we were slightly on the back foot. He missed three out and was a bit further back than ideal due to his jumping, but the way he’s finished, you’d rather be coming up that hill than slowing up and I’m delighted.
“I thought we were massively overpriced. He’d won two hurdle races and finished second with a big weight, so I don’t know how we’ve gone off at 18-1.
“I thought this lad was a better horse than the lad last year, his schooling had been good and there was no reason why he wasn’t going to be a good horse.
“The Boodles would be a logical step. When Willie Mullins unleashes his juveniles, we’ll probably leave that race (Triumph Hurdle) to them.”
