Bowen in seventh heaven with Plate hero Francky Du Berlais

Molly Hunter
July 17, 2021 2:45 pm

Another victory in Market Rasen feature is a real family affair.

Francky Du Berlais provided trainer Peter Bowen with his seventh victory in the Betway Summer Plate after a taking success at Market Rasen.

Sent off at 11-1, the eight-year-old has won twice already during his summer campaign and relished the bustle of a busy handicap to secure a seven-and-a-half-length triumph from Exelerator Express under James Bowen.

The Bowen family have a stellar record in the valuable Grade Three handicap, with Peter having won the race seven times in its 26-year history and elder son Sean successful himself when steering More Buck’s to victory for his father in 2018.

“That’s what Peter does, he tries to find something to go for this race that will be suitable,” said Karen Bowen, wife to Peter and mother of Sean and James.

“We always seem to do well at Market Rasen, it’s a lucky track for us, though it took us seven and a half hours to get up here yesterday in the horse box.

“He’s a nice horse, he obviously won a nice race at Uttoxeter but he’s one of these you’ve got to keep a lid on a bit, I’m not sure Cartmel suited him because there’s a fairground.

“(It’s) a big handicap, fast run, he handled it well and you need a horse that will handle those types of race, not every horse can cope with the hustle and bustle – his jumping was super.”

Francky Du Berlais was the intended ride of Sean, but James was unable to make the weight for the Bowen’s other runner, Lord Bryan, so the brothers swapped rides with the lighter of the two legged up on the latter horse.

“James was very excited and to be fair to the boys, they’re as excited as one another,” Karen said.

“Sean has won on the horse before at Uttoxeter but James wasn’t able to do the weight on the other one, but Sean will be as happy for James as he would have been if he’d won it himself.”

The winning rider said: “That was a really good run, I couldn’t be happier.

“He finished so well and had the perfect run round, he would get further but a strong gallop over two and a half (miles) is perfect for him.

“I’m really excited, Sean’s delighted as well.

“I couldn’t do the weight on the other so Sean’s ridden him and given me a chance.”