As tens of riders line up in pursuit of Grand National glory on Saturday afternoon, the faint sound of sneezing might be heard among them.
Sean Bowen’s horse allergy makes him an unlikely contender for the coveted racing event. But as a long-time lover of the Grand National, he’s not letting a sniffly nose hold him back.
Bowen usually only suffers adverse reactions while brushing his horses in the stables. The 27-year-old Welshman rides 20-1 shot Three Card Brag at the Aintree showpiece for Gordon Elliott, the Irish trainer.
However, life as a top-level jockey appeared most unlikely for Bowen as a child, despite his parents Peter and Karen being long-time trainers. “When I was little, I had bad eczema and asthma, and if Dad came in from clipping the horses, I’d be itching for days,” he previously told Telegraph Sport.
“When I’m riding in a race now, I’m not on one long enough for it to affect me, but if I’m brushing one or with them all day I’ll be sneezing and my eyes will be watering.”
Bowen rode his 1,000th winner in February and is searching for Grand National success alongside his younger brother James, who will be on board Chantry House.
Competition is stiff between the siblings. At Cheltenham in December, a dead heat was recorded between their horses. It was the first dead heat at the course for eight years. “It’s probably never happened before and it’s unlikely to ever happen again,” said James.
Both brothers say they want to win the sport’s biggest race for their family. “I’ve always grown up loving the Grand National and Dad loves the Grand National. It’s something that he always said that hopefully one day he could win,” James told BBC Wales on the eve of the race. “I’d love to win a Grand National for my family. If I did that, I think I’d have to retire because there’s not much else that can top that.”
Sean, meanwhile, explained that his allergies do not affect him as much as they did when he was a child. “I still am [allergic to horses] now a little bit – it’s a bit of a weird one; if Dad would come in from clipping and there’d be horsehair everywhere, I’d be itching for days. Even now, sometimes if I spend all morning round horses, I’d be sneezing for the rest of the day.”
His parents, from Pembrokeshire, have been training horses for 30 years but James’s first love as a child was football. “I can’t say I grew up loving it [racing]. I enjoyed football until I was around 11. I started riding when I was about 10,” he said.
A third of adults in Britain will place some sort of bet on the world’s most famous steeplechase, with £150 million wagered in total. Six million will tune in for the spectacle.
