Photo finish

Jockey Sean Bowen (left) celebrates deadheating in the Triumph Hurdle Trial with his brother James Bowen at the Cheltenham December meeting

THE RACE-RIDING siblings Sean and James Bowen made it a family affair when dead-heating in the JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle at Cheltenham on December 14 .

Older brother Sean (orange colours) was aboard hurdle debutante Teriferma (Territories) for trainer Jack Jones, who had also won the race last season with An Bradan Feasa (Camelot).

Teriferma and last year’s winner were purchased by Jones out of Joseph O’Brien’s yard – An Bradan Feasa bred by his mother’s Whisperview Trading, while this season’s successful gelding was bred in the UK by New England Stud out of Spritzig (Exceed And Excel).

But the coincidences go even further as, amazingly, Jones was also the underbidder on the James Bowen-ridden Quantock Hills (below, right) when the gelding went through the ring at the July Arqana Sale 2024.

The son of Sageburg, then with one win over hurdles in France on his form card, made €130,000 and was bought by Highflyer.

Quantock Hills, who is now trained by Warren Greatrex and is owned by the yard’s owner and backer Jim and Claire Bryce, has now run three times in Britain, for two wins and a second.

Both trainers reported that The Festival’s Fred Winter Hurdle will be the likely spring goal for both horses – both are currently 25-1 chances, what’s the betting that the two will finish together again?