Jockey Hugh Bowman wants to try his hand at jumps racing in the UK
Hugh Bowman is set to shake things up while on his working holiday in the UK but hopefully he doesn’t shake himself up too much in the process.
Bowman revealed this morning that he’s trying to obtain a jumps license in the next couple of weeks so he can ride a friends horse in an upcoming event.
He says while he can’t remember the horses name, it won as an 80 to 1 chance last start and he’s keen to give it a crack and see how he goes.
“I’m just looking to see if I can get my license to jump over the sticks,” he said.
“It’s something I’ve always thought I’d like to have a go of … it’s a friends horse so there wouldn’t be too much pressure but I’d love to have the chance anyway.”
Bowman is based in Sydney back in Australia meaning the opportunities to ride over the hurdles just don’t exist.
While he maintains it would be a one off event rather than a permanent move, there would no doubt be a few anxious connections back in Australia hoping he gets through unhurt and they can still use him in the spring.
Things have been going well so far for Bowman who has recorded his first win of his stint over the weekend.
He rode three winners across two days and partnered some good horses.
“It was good to get on the board, the first few meetings I had average rides,” he said.
“It takes a little while to get into gear and get your bearings.”
He has one more meeting locked in but after that there’s nothing concrete, the jumps license likely to play a big role.
“Newbury on Thursday night, then it’s a little bit up in the air where I go after that,” he said.
Like everyone else Bowman has an opinion about the performance of So You Think last start, in fact he and jockey Steven Arnold made the trip just to see him on the day.
“Steven Arnold and I were staying in the same hotel, we went out for the race,” he said.
“I think we were both of the opinion that the pace maker worked against him.”
He says he has plenty of confidence that not only will the performance of the horse turn around next start but also the performance of the stable.
“I think the horse will win this weekend,” he said.
“I think if they were to run him in that race again without a pace maker the result may have been different.”
