Colin Bowen

Colin Bowen

Article by Alan Trout

Wyndham Colin Bowen, known by his second Christian name, rode under National Hunt rules in the 1970s and had 14 wins. He was associated with the Lewes stable of Auriol Sinclair and had his first ride at Fontwell Park on November 22, 1972, when Melancholy finished third in the Brighton Handicap Hurdle. 

He had to wait more than a year for his first success but it finally came on March 11, 1974, when the seven-year-old Alice Rosethorn, making her seasonal debut, took the lead at the second last flight and ran on to beat Captain Ezra by two lengths in the Folkestone Handicap Hurdle at Wye.

Alice Rosethorn was trained by Miss Sinclair but it was another Sussex trainer, Ben Wise, who provided Colin with his other 13 victories. They included four on the 14-year-old selling hurdler Moison in 1976.

Colin’s final win came at Fontwell Park on April 5, 1977, when Master Butcher held off the strong challenge of Paul Leech’s mount Vespucci to land the Madehurst Handicap Hurdle by three-quarters of a length. 

He had his final ride at Fakenham on Whit Monday, June 6, 1977, when Nutkin trailed in eighth of nine finishers in the Barsham Novices’ Hurdle. 

Colin Bowen’s winners were, in chronological order:

1. Alice Rosethorn, Wye, March 11, 1974

2. Tudor Jewel, Fontwell Park, December 30, 1974

3. Heswall, Fontwell Park, April 8, 1975

4. Friston Miss, Plumpton, December 9, 1975

5. Scalded Cat, Fontwell Park, December 30, 1975

6. Moison, Fakenham, February 20, 1976

7. Otago Gold, Plumpton, February 23, 1976

8. Moison, Plumpton, August 13, 1976

9. Moison, Plumpton, September 8, 1976

10. Moison, Plumpton, September 20, 1976

11. Jack Jiggs, Plumpton, October 12, 1976

12. Otago Gold, Folkestone, November 9, 1976

13. Scalded Cat, Plumpton, January 19, 1977

14. Master Butcher, Fontwell Park, April 5, 1977