The Bowen Factor To Prove Key For Par

Gold Cup day at Sandown today, and the man everybody will be there to see is AP McCoy, who is having his last ever ride in the Bet365 hurdle, on the fittingly named Box Office. However, while everybody will no doubt be sad to see such a legendary figure call it a day, there is also reason for optimism. For while one of the greats may be bidding farewell to the sport, there are a few young pretenders waiting in the wings eager to take his place at the top, and chief among them is young Sean Bowen, who has taken the game by storm in the last year.
With fifty winners in the bag already, and his claim whittled down to three pounds in no time, this seventeen year old has unfathomable potential. It is no surprise that Paul NIcholls has snapped him up, and the combination could well turn out to be a formidable one.
Today they team up in the big race of the day (well ok probably the second biggest due to the McCoy factor) with Just A Par, a horse that is yet to get his head in front this season. He was a staying on third over 3m at Chepstow last time out, and he required plenty of driving from Bowen, who was riding him for the first time. The way he finished that day suggests this sort of trip will be right up his street, and this is a sentiment shared by his trainer, who has described him as a "thorough stayer". At first glance Unioniste would appear to be the pick of the four Nicholls runners, as he is partnered by the number one stable jockey in Sam Twiston Davies. However, I think that Nicholls will want to make the most of Bowen's claim while he still has it, and that is the reason he is riding Just A Par today. He got to know the horse last time out, and I am willing to bet that the combination of Bowen and the new trip will be enough to see Just A Par go close in a competitive race.

Selection: Just A Par e/w 20/1