Sean Bowen hungry for top-level success

Champion jockey Sean Bowen has put Grade One wins at the top of his racing agenda this season.

Bowen has ridden 420 winners to claim the last two jockey titles, following up his 179 successes in the 2024-25 campaign with 241 last season – a total bettered only by Sir Anthony McCoy.

The 29-year-old from Pembrokeshire has made a slower start this season, with his total of 77 winners leaving him some 25 behind championship leader Harry Skelton, but he admits his focus has slightly shifted.

Bowen told the Press Association: “I’m not used to being in second, but Harry’s had an incredible start.

“Obviously I want to be champion jockey again. I’m going to give it a good go and once we get rain and get the good horses out we’re going to be flat out busy.

“It was great last season and I’d like to try to ride over 200 winners again, but riding big winners is something that everybody wants. I’d probably say that’s my main aim this year.

“Try to get that Grade One horse. It would be nice to be on the big stage riding big winners because that’s where everyone wants to be.”

Bowen rode the Rebecca Curtis-trained Haiti Couleurs to an Irish and Welsh Grand National double in 2025.

But the nine-year-old’s bid for Cheltenham Gold Cup glory in March ended in disappointment, and he then finished 14th of 34 runners in the Grand National at Aintree the following month.

Bowen has never won a race at the Cheltenham Festival, but hopes that will change as the operations of trainers Olly Murphy and his brother Mickey Bowen continue to grow.

He said: “I feel I’ve never been in a position to ride winners at Cheltenham before. I’ve had rides there, but never gone with any favourite chances in the whole time I’ve been riding.

“It would be nice to find one or two going there with big chances this season. When I was younger I used to go to Cheltenham and Aintree with a bit of nerves, but I’ve gone there that much with disappointment you don’t build yourself up before you get there.”