Sean Bowen: Olly Murphy can help fire me to first jockeys' title over big rivals Cobden and Skelton

Sean Bowen hopes the strength of his main supporter Olly Murphy can be a deciding factor as he bids to fulfil his number one ambition of becoming champion jump jockey in Britain for the first time this season.

Bowen was in command and 31 winners clear in last season's title race when he suffered a serious knee injury at Aintree on Boxing Day. Ruled out for the whole of January, he returned to action on February 8 with Harry Cobden breathing down his neck and in the end lost out by seven winners as the duo took the championship down to the wire. 

Heading into Cheltenham's first meeting of the season on Friday, Bowen again finds himself leading the way, with six winners to spare over Harry Skelton at the top of the table, and he is determined to stay ahead of the pack.