Hugh Bowman sticks with Courier Wonder in Chairman’s Sprint Prize, leaving Flaming Rib ride for Tom Marquand

Hugh Bowman will reunite with the John Size-trained Courier Wonder for the Group One Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1,200m) on Champions Day, opting for the local galloper over Hugo Palmer’s raider, Flaming Rib.

While the ride aboard Flaming Rib was available, Bowman stuck with the Group One placegetter and jumps back aboard after having to relinquish the ride for the Group Two Sprint Cup (1,200m) earlier this month after not being able to make the weight of 123 pounds.

“Courier Wonder mightn’t quite have the class of some of the others but I’m here, I’m in the system and John’s been good to me, so I’ve gone that way,” Bowman said. “He’s supported me here in Hong Kong and he’s got a lot of high-class horses.”

Bowman partners Courier Wonder for the third time and while the five-year-old will have his work cut out defeating local sprint stars Lucky Sweynesse and Wellington, the jockey knows Size is a good man to have on his side as he continues his hunt for a top-line galloper.

With Zac Purton having first right of refusal with Lucky Sweynesse and California Spangle, Vincent Ho Chak-yiu the one and only rider of Golden Sixty and Danny Shum Chap-shing planning to bounce between Purton and James McDonald for his middle-distance star Romantic Warrior, Bowman looks likely to have to wait for the horse who is going to allow him to make an impact at the highest level in Hong Kong.

“My weight holds me back a little bit, like Victor The Winner I rode and won on, but he went and won at 120 pounds, which is too light for me. It’s something I’ve had to deal with my entire career,” Bowman said.

“It’s probably going to have more effect here because of the way the system is, but I can’t change that. But my turn will come, hopefully, and when it does, I’ll take it with both hands.”

Courier Wonder will face just eight rivals in the Chairman’s Sprint Prize after David Hayes confirmed on Monday that Nervous Witness will miss the race following his 11th at Sha Tin on Saturday. The five-year-old will instead be targeted at a Class Two 1,200m contest at Sha Tin on May 7.

Flaming Rib is one of two internationals, along with Japan’s Aguri, in the Chairman’s Sprint Prize, and the British galloper will be partnered by British jockey Tom Marquand, who is making the trip to Hong Kong to ride Dubai Honour in the Group One QE II Cup (2,000m).

Meanwhile, the Jockey Club announced on Monday it will now offer betting on two trebles per race meeting: “Starting from the Sha Tin day race meeting on April 23, the treble pool will be increased from one to two. The new first treble pool is nominated to races three, four and five, while the second treble pool is nominated to the last three races”.