Sean Bowen has the chance to make Welsh sporting history at the Cheltenham Festival on Friday, according to the last Welsh jockey to win the Gold Cup.

It’s been 15 years since Sam Thomas became the last Welshman to rise to glory and win the Cheltenham Gold Cup when he rode the magnificent Denman to victory over his great rivals Kauto Star in 2008.

Now a leading trainer, Thomas believes Bowen has a decent chance of notable Welsh racing wins when he rides Noble Yates at the climax of the grand festival on Friday (17th March, 3.30pm, live on ITV1 and Racing TV) .

Bowen has never won at the Cheltenham Festival but hopes to win in Wales when he faces last year’s Grand National winner.

His hopes will also be seriously raised as Noble Yates, a seven year old gelding trained by Emmett Mullins, will be a hot favorite behind favorite Gallopin Des Chance.

The rain that has fallen all week in Cheltenham won’t affect Bowen’s chances either, as DragonBet, the leading Welsh bookmaker, will donate £500 to the Velindre Cancer Center for every winner Bowen takes in at the Festival, priced Current Noble Yates of 01/07.

Says Thomas: “We didn’t have a runner this year, which is a shame as it’s been 15 years since a jockey has won. Then it would be good.

“The Galopin Des Champs is a great beast and looks very reliable. If I had to train or ride a horse, I think I would want to be on it. Bravemansgame does everything awesome on the curb, but it’s a different fish.

“I think for a higher price, you shouldn’t forget Noble Yeats. He has a good cry.”



Noble Yeats, ridden by jockey Sean Bowen, en route to victory in the Boylesports Many Clouds Chase at Aintree

Pembrokeshire jockey Bowen admits he can’t imagine what it would be like to win the Gold Cup, but he knows the post-race party will be unforgettable.

For Bowen, winning the race would be another milestone in an outstanding season that has already seen him with 108 winners and second place in the Jump Jockeys Championship behind Brian Hughes. The 25-year-old, Jockey of the Year at the Welsh Horse Racing Awards last November, insists his training will be as normal.

“Honestly, I don’t think you can change that much,” he says. “I’ve ridden a lot of winners this season and you just have to go out there and do the race, not the Gold Cup, if that makes sense.

“Hope all is well today. Obviously it’s a tough race and they’ll be going fast. I just need to run and hope my horse comes home better.

“I can’t imagine what it would be like to win. I haven’t even had a Cheltenham Festival winner yet, so that would be awesome. The party after that would be amazing.

Noble Yates was a stunning 50-1 winner when he won the National at Aintree last April, a fairy tale driven by pre-retired jockey Sam Whaley-Cohen on a horse owned by his father Robert.

Bowen has since been a member of the Noble Yeats team and has won at Wexford and Aintree, but recently finished third at Cheltenham in January in the Costwold Chase.

Galopin Des Champs will be the most supported horse, but Bowen believes the race is open.

“I actually think it’s going to be one of the best Gold Cups we’ve had in years. There are some horses that have been very well trained and selected for this race. Nothing seems to have gone wrong for many of them.

“I hope it will be a good and strong race to stay. It suits me. The more rain, the better it will be. He will stand at the finish line.

“This is an open race. Galopin Des Champs was obviously the most impressive of the season, but I wouldn’t trade my boy for too many of them.

Whatever happens, Bowen, son of trainer Peter Bowen, insists he will build on his experience at Cheltenham and will work every muscle to maximize the opportunities that Noble Yeats will present him in two of the biggest races on the calendar.

“This and the big national week at Aintree are my two favorite weeks of the year. Growing up, it was always a big national week. My mum and dad always got along well at Aintree.

“The Gold Cup and the Grand National are the two biggest races and luckily Noble Yates is the second or third favorite for the Gold Cup and the favorite for the Grand National. So I’m a happy person.”