Arabian Racing Achievement Award

The Arabian Racing Achievement Award JAMES OWEN

PRESENTED BY

Saddling his first winner with his first runner back in 2015 and ending that season as leading newcomer, James Owen made an immediate impact as a trainer of Arabians. Trainers’ championships have followed, but it is this year that his career has fully blossomed.

It began well with his first overseas success, when Farhaa won in Belgium in April, and a steady stream of domestic winners has followed. At Dubai International Arabian Races at Newbury - UK Arabian racing’s equivalent of Champions Day - he trained the first three home in the opening contest and concluded the meeting as Baileys Horse Feeds leading trainer. In August, his first pattern victory arrived when Awzaan and Martin Dwyer were decisive winners of the Royal Cavalry of Oman Clarendon Stakes (Group 3PA) at Newbury. At the season’s close in September he regained the trainers’ title, which he has now won three times.

It is not just for his training achievements that Owen has been recognised. A former leading amateur rider with nine East Anglian point-to-point titles to his name and over 50 winning rides on Arabians, he is well aware of the importance of supporting young jockeys. He combines training Arabians in the summer and pointers in the winter with a successful pre-training yard, breaking yearlings for many of Newmarket’s thoroughbred trainers, and this steady yearround balance of riding opportunities has enabled him to develop a strong team of riders. Subsidising their gym membership, with the incentive of rides to reward gym attendance, has paid dividends, with all the 2019 jockey awards heading to his yard too.

After his career as a conditional jockey in Scotland stalled, Alex Chadwick returned to the amateur ranks, joining Owen’s yard hoping to pick up a few rides pointing. Not only did he taste success in that field, he became champion jockey in his first season riding Arabians. Antonia Peck, who Owen had taught to ride, was champion lady jockey, whilst leading novice rider went to another Owen protégé in Hayley Lewis.

Though the majority of Owen’s winners have been for his principal patron, HH Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, he also champions the sport’s grassroots. Two years ago, he and his wife Jenny established the first multi-horse syndicate in Arabian racing, the James Owen Racing Club, with three horses. An instant success, the club has over 30 members, a number of whom attended almost every race this year, regardless of whether the club had a runner or not.

The club’s first winner in 2018 was My Boy Sam, a homebred of Owen’s parents, whilst in 2019 Tijaary has proved their flagship horse and was crowned champion Arabian. Following a career ending injury early last year, their Dolfina D’Ibos was retired to stud, so the club now also boasts its’ own breeding programme. A first foal was born this year, and another is on the way for 2020.

To further underline the work ethic at Green Ridge Stables, the comprehensive success of Owen’s team also extends to winning the Racing Welfare best turned out awards championship for the last two seasons.

by Debbie Burt