In the end it came down to the last race on the card and Mr Bowen (something of a dark horse himself) did not disappoint. Steered home by the youthful but talented Pat Taaffe (Rudiments) he secured the win needed by Team Ireland to take victory in the third running of the Shergar Cup of horse and pony racing in Ashbourne, Co Dublin last Saturday, 26th September.
This news will come as no surprise to those familiar with Pat’s form on the turf as this season (his first) he finished a very impressive fifth place at Horse & Pony Racing in the Irish Field Junior Jockey Championship. No surprise either to students of Mr Bowen’s reputation as – well – a horse of a different colour…
The Shergar Cup is open to riders up to 16 years of age, who compete in horse and pony racing in Ireland or pony racing in Britain. The riders competed in a series of ten races with each contestant getting three rides during the afternoon. Fairness was ensured by the device of having a draw to pair jockeys and mounts prior to the racing.
Mr Declan O’Keeffe, Head of Communications