Bowen savouring National chance with Three Card Brag

Sean Bowen will try to fulfil his boyhood dream in Saturday’s Randox Grand National as he teams up with Gordon Elliott’s Three Card Brag at Aintree.

Bowen, who has a healthy lead over Harry Skelton in the jockeys’ championship race, has ridden plenty of winners for one of Three Card Brag’s owners, Max McNeil, through his association with Olly Murphy.

“The Grand National is a race I’ve dreamed of winning since I was a young boy, it’s the one race everyone has heard of, and if you win it, that can never be taken away from you,” said Bowen, who is a Coral ambassador.

“I finished fourth on Noble Yeats two years ago, that’s my best finish, but every ride I’ve had in the race has been exciting, changes have been made to it we know, but it’s still very special for a jockey to ride in it.

“I’ve enjoyed plenty of luck riding for Gordon and Max McNeill, so I think a conversation took place between Gordon and Max, and both were keen for me to ride Three Card Brag, which I was very grateful for. I’ve not ridden him before but he’s been trained for the race, and there is no better man than Gordon to aim a horse at the National, his record in the race speaks for itself.

“He will get in the race off a lovely looking weight, he seems to jump well, and he stays well, so he should go into the race with a chance. It’s the National though, so I can’t be taking anything for granted, but it’s a really exciting ride to have.”

Another jockey looking for his first win in the race is Jonjo O’Neill jr, who is out to achieve something his famous father never managed by riding the winner.

O’Neill jr partners Iroko for Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero, and he is the leading British-trained contender.

“I’m well aware that anything can happen in the National, so you don’t get yourself too worked up, but his prep has been very good and it’s going to be the first time that I’ve got a horse with a real chance in it. He’s got a nice weight, he’s had a nice preparation and I wouldn’t want to swap him. You can make a case for a lot of the contenders,” O’Neill told Betfred.

“I am excited because I genuinely can’t see any flaws in him at the minute and he’s got a lot of things going for him, he just needs a bit of luck now.”

Johnny Burke, who on Monday had been booked to ride Stay Away Fay for Paul Nicholls, has now switched to Willie Mullins’ Minella Cocooner, leaving Paul O’Brien to take the ride as the original intended jockey Bryony Frost is also unavailable.