What a fantastic day at Cheltenham for pony racing graduates! 5 out of the 7 races were won by jockeys who all started in pony racing.
Bryony Frost, Tom Bellamy, James Bowen, Brendan Powell and Harry Cobden all started their racing careers riding in Point-to-Point and Charles Owen pony races.
All have been able to use the valuable experience they gained on the pony racing circuit and this is certainly showing. All of these jockeys are hitting the headlines early in their careers proving that pony racing helps aspiring young jockeys get a foot on the ladder.
James Bowen, who’s last pony race was the Charles Owen Final at Cheltenham in October 2016, won on Saturday at Cheltenham for his new boss, Champion Trainer Nicky Henderson. Bryony Frost and Harry Cobden were both winning for the previous Champion Trainer Paul Nicholls. All 5 jockeys have shown they can handle the pressure of riding winners for top yards on big race days; the experience gained by their early days pony racing has helped them get where they are today.
Congratulations to them all!