With entries into the Cheltenham Festival’s Cross Country Chase and the Grand National at Aintree, Pembrokeshire horse racing trainer Peter Bowen is confident that Francky Du Berlais can mix it with the best stayers in the sport.
From his Haverfordwest yard, Bowen has been responsible for more than 1000 winners in National Hunt and Flat races, earning connections a handsome £10 million in prize money.
So he knows a thing or two about what it takes to be successful in racing, which is why he heads to the Cheltenham Festival from March 14 onwards buoyed with confidence.
Francky Du Berlais holds a few early entries into the Cross Country Chase, Ultima Handicap Chase and the Magners Plater Handicap Chase. A final decision on his race of choice will be made just prior to the meeting.
Bowen will also point Nikhi at the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle, while family celebrations might extend to Friday if Sean Bowen, son of Peter, can guide Grand National champion Noble Yeats to glory in the Gold Cup. He’s priced at around 10/1 in the Cheltenham day 4 antepost betting odds to do exactly that, behind favourite Galopin des Champs, Bravemansgame and A Plus Tard.
So can he achieve major success at one of the UK’s premier horse racing meetings?
Going the Distance
With such a fine record of producing staying horses of some class, it’s no wonder that Peter Bowen is considering stepping Francky Du Berlais up in trip.
The Pembrokeshire handler has enjoyed plenty of reward for his efforts at tough tracks like Aintree, with Mac Tottie and Always Waining winning the Topham Trophy and Sefton Chase on five occasions between them.
Bowen’s Al Co was a Scottish Grand National champion, while Snoopy Loopy won the prestigious Betfair Chase at Haydock Park, so the Welsh trainer has a fine track record of producing long-distance kings and queens.
Francky Du Berlais is a slightly different animal. Now aged ten, he still shows a tremendous turn of speed – he won the Summer Plate Handicap Chase at the sharp Market Rasen track in July while carrying 12st, so this is a horse who has pace and power in abundance.
Bowen sent the Roddy Owen trained horse out over 3m 6f in January for the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase at Cheltenham. A fifth place there, in which Francky Du Berlais was still in contention deep into the race, must have convinced connections that these longer trips are where the ten-year-old’s future lies.
And why not? Francky Du Berlais finished barely six lengths behind Cheltenham Festival Cross Country Chase favourite Delta Work that day, defeating former Prestbury Park winner Easysland and Snow Leopardess into the bargain.
The Cross Country Chase is an excellent marker for success in the subsequent Grand National in April. The exploits of Tiger Roll at both Cheltenham and Aintree require little introduction, while Cross Country winners such as Cause of Causes and Balthazar King have finished second in the National and Delta Work third.
With Francky Du Berlais holding a Grand National entry, perhaps Peter Bowen and Welsh racing will have a double-cause for celebration in the weeks ahead?
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