Contender for Welsh Racing Festival Emerges as Jumps Season Nears

The Bowens won the DragonBet Persian War Novices’ Hurdle last season and an early contender this year emerged at Hexham last week.

The Grade 2 contest is the day one highlight of the DragonBet Welsh Racing Festival at Chepstow, which runs between October 10-12, and Mohawk Chief could be a likely player.

He recorded his second success since joining the Pembrokeshire yard at Hexham, over the same two-and-a-half mile distance as the Persian War.

The five-year-old, who is the same age as the Bowen’s reigning champion Flying Fortune, boasts an interesting backstory, having previously been unsuccessful for master Flat trainer Aidan O’Brien.

Mohawk Chief is from the family of shock 2020 Derby winner Serpentine but failed to beat a rival in his two last starts for Ireland’s top trainer after breaking his maiden at Leopardstown in October 2022.

Jockey James Bowen. Pic: Alamy

O’Brien sent him to the sales and he was bought by Peter Bowen, the now retired trainer, for £16,800 and father of trainer Micky. 

He failed to win in four starts but has flourished this summer and could continue improving.

His success also gave jockey James Bowen another winner to put his tally up to 29 for the season.

He shares second spot in the jump jockeys’ championship with Brian Hughes. Brother Sean Bowen heads the standings by some way with 68 winners.

Connie bids for history

History could be made at Chepstow on Tuesday as course specialist Connie’s Rose bids for a record-equalling seventh win at the track.

Trained near the course by Grace Harris, she has yet to win this season but went close just last week when beaten a length and a half.

Welsh trainer Grace Harris. Pic: Alamy

Victory would also take Harris’s tally to 15, matching the record tally from last season.

It is a race worth watching with Vape bidding for a hat-trick for John and Rhys Flint. They are also looking to equal the tally set from last season.

Williams and Vaughan popular with public

Last week was National Racehorse Week where members of the public enjoyed free visits to the stables of Christian Williams and Tim Vaughan.

The industry-wide initiative is aimed to showcase what happens behind the scenes and attendees were on mass to the two yards in South Wales.