'Every winner counts from now' - apprentice title battle goes to the final day as Bowen and Leavy both get on scoreboard

The battle between Sean Dylan Bowen and Joe Leavy for the British Flat apprentice title will go down to the final day after both riders landed a winner on the card.

Championship leader Bowen struck first on the Bryan Smart-trained Station X with his 14-1 surprise in the 6f nursery. That gave him a four-win cushion before Leavy struck back on Hour By Hour in the 6f handicap.

Bowen now has 44 wins to Leavy's 41 ahead of the champion being crowned at Catterick on Saturday. Bowen has five rides on the eight-race card and Leavy has four.

After his winner, Bowen told Racing TV: "That one meant a lot. It's been nervy for the last few days and every winner counts from now on. Probably the last week or so has been the toughest.

"This has been the longest week I've had for a while and thank God I've held on for this amount of time."

Speaking after Hour By Hour's win, Leavy said: "It's been an absolutely brilliant season. I'd have snapped your hand off at the start of the year to be stood here with a day to go with some form of a shout.

"It's been a dream come true and, no matter what happens, I'm just happy to be in this position."

Al is King

Alan King took his strike-rate on the Flat at the track this year to 40 per cent when King Al landed the mile novice by a neck in gutsy fashion.

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