Sean Bowen gets call-up for ride on Grand National hero Noble Yeats at Wexford

Monday: 3.10 Wexford
M.W. Hickey Memorial Chase (Listed) | 2m7f | 5yo+ | RTV

Grand National winner Noble Yeats will be much closer to home as he attempts to launch his second season over fences, after disappointing on his reappearance at Auteuil earlier this month.

He will travel an hour down the road from Emmet Mullins' yard in Bagenalstown, County Carlow to take on four rivals at Wexford, 16 days after his anti-climactic trip to France.

Robert Waley-Cohen's seven-year-old, who only made his chasing debut in October of last year but was a 50-1 winner of the National six months later, was pulled-up after the fourth fence of the Prix Heros XII as jockey James Reveley was worried about his condition following a couple of jumping blemishes.

"He's none the worse so fingers crossed we can get the show on the road," said Mullins.

"It will be hard with Run Wild Fred having a run behind Galvin under his belt, whereas essentially we haven't had a run yet. We'll get started and see where that leaves us."

Waley-Cohen's son Sam retired from the saddle after his National triumph and multiple Grade 1-winning jockey Sean Bowen takes his place here, having his first ride at Wexford and only his seventh under rules in Ireland.

Sean Bowen: teams up with Noble Yeats at Wexford on MondayCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photo)

Bowen was chosen reportedly in part due to his three victories over the National fences, and Mullins said: "Sean is having a great season and looks like a good addition. I'm very happy to have him and fingers crossed they can get on well together."

The owner also revealed that "an administrative error" ruled out the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury as a possible target for Noble Yeats.

Gordon Elliott is responsible for three of the five runners in this Listed event, which was won by Minella Indo in 2020 on his way to Cheltenham Gold Cup glory.

Run Wild Fred reappeared with a good second to Galvin at Punchestown this month, but is rated 6lb inferior to Noble Yeats and races off level weights with that rival, while recent winner Frontal Assault and Hurricane Georgie complete his line-up.

Elliott said: "It was good to see Run Wild Fred get back on track when second to Galvin at Punchestown. On ratings he'd look the pick of our runners, but Noble Yeats is obviously suited by the race conditions."

He added: "Frontal Assault won well on his first start back at Galway and stays well, so hopefully he can run a nice race. Hurricane Georgie is a lovely mare and fingers crossed she'll give a good account of herself."

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