Birthday winner at 16 and intent on taking fast track

Name James Bowen
Age 16
Total wins 2 (plus 30 point-to-point)
Best moment First winner under rules with Curious Carlos (Cartmel, May 27)
Best horse ridden Curious Carlos

Evidently James Bowen does not fancy hanging about. A pony-racing champion as a kid, the 16-year-old son of Pembrokeshire trainer Peter Bowen wasted little time making his mark in the recent point-to-point season, where his first ride was a winner. With a record-breaking 30 winners, he duly became champion novice rider – despite starting the season only halfway through.

Having had his first ride as a conditional only last weekend at Uttoxeter, he rode his first winner in the paid ranks when Get Home Now bolted up in a conditionals' race at Worcester on Wednesday, completing a double for Dad and prompting a Bowen family love-in on ATR as his older brother, former champion conditional Sean, had earlier ridden Dr Robin to victory.