Teen dream: James Bowen to make Grand National debut on Shantou Flyer

James Bowen will have the chance to become the youngest jockey to win the Randox Health Grand National after he was handed his first mount in the race on the Richard Hobson-trained Shantou Flyer.

Bowen, who turned 17 the day before the Cheltenham Festival, will be three months younger than Bruce Hobbs, who was 17 years and four months old when he partnered Battleship to victory at Aintree in 1938, when he makes his race debut.

The teenager has been tipped to go right to the top after a debut season in which he has already won a Coral Welsh National and is set to clinch the conditional jockeys' title.

His winning mount at Chepstow Raz De Maree is also entered in the Grand National but at Aintree Bowen will continue his association with Shantou Flyer, who has finished runner-up on his last four starts, including when Bowen was aboard in the Ultima Handicap Chase at Cheltenham.

Hobson, who will also be saddling his first Grand National runner, said: "We have to live the dream. Ruby Walsh was having his first ride in the National when he won on Papillon, so was David Mullins when he won the race on Rule The World as a 19-year-old. James is a future champion jockey in my opinion so it would be nice if his first ride could do the same for him.

"James rode me a winner on Saturday and deserves his chance. It is nice as a small stable to be able to give him his first opportunity."

Watch: Shantou Flyer finishes runner-up at the festival

Shantou Flyer was pulled up before four out in the race last year when he was trained by Rebecca Curtis. He has been allotted a 3lb lower mark this year and after being raised for a neck defeat by Coo Star Sivola at Cheltenham is 4lb 'well in'.

"If you look at his seconds they were against novices like Coo Star Sivola and Ballyhill that were thrown in and he has been lumping big weights and going up every time. He is better in in the Grand National after running twice since the weights were published and I am hoping for a massive run."

Shantou Flyer is also entered in the Topham Chase but would only tackle the shorter race in the event of the ground for the National coming up "bottomless", Hobson said.

The Bowen family are Aintree regulars. James Bowen's father Peter has trained the winner of the Topham four times and brother Sean rode in his first Grand National aged 17.

James Bowen said: "I can't wait. Shantou Flyer has been there before. I know he pulled up but he jumped the fences well and hopefully he can give me a good spin round. He has a chance as well.

"Shantou Flyer was second in the Ultima and he is well in now. He would be hard not to pick. I've won the Welsh National this season. Hopefully I can do the two."

Grand National entries

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