Jango Baie toughs it out to give James Bowen first Grade 1 winner in the Formby Novices' Hurdle

Almost six years after bursting on to the scene as the youngest jockey to win the Welsh Grand National, James Bowen finally claimed his first Grade 1 success aboard Jango Baie in the inaugural Formby Novices' Hurdle.

Big-race victories for Bowen might have been plentiful since that historic Chepstow win at the mere age of 16, but he admitted a breakthrough top-flight win on Jango Baie for his boss Nicky Henderson was "massive".

Engaged in a duel with Favour And Fortune following favourite Farren Glory's fall at the second-last, Jango Baie gradually got on top in the run-in to ultimately score by two and a three-quarter lengths.

"It's massive to get that, it's a monkey off my back as it's been a long time coming, and I'm very happy," said Bowen.

The 22-year-old jockey had an injury-delayed start to the season, only returning in September after seven months out of action due to complications with a broken arm he suffered in February.

He said: "I had a long time off with injury and it took ages to get back, it's only the last few weeks it's got going again, and hopefully I can have a clear run now."

The Grade 1 contest might have changed location and name, but Henderson remained the dominant trainer in a race formerly run as the Tolworth at Sandown by winning it for a record-extending seventh time.

Henderson took the race with the mighty Constitution Hill before going on to win Supreme Novices' Hurdle in 2022 and Jango Baie, who was bought for £170,000 to race for Countrywide Park Homes after finishing runner-up in an Irish point, put himself firmly into contention for Cheltenham in March.

He was cut to 20-1 (from 33) by Paddy Power for the Supreme and the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle.

James Bowen celebrates after landing his first Grade 1 success with Jango BaieCredit: John Grossick

"He switched off and travelled well and I knew he would find a lot after the last," said Bowen. "He's got a lot of improving to do again as he was a bit big at his hurdles, but I'm sure he will.

"He's finished his race off really well and will probably want further in time. He'll probably be more of a two-and-a-half mile horse by the spring and hopefully he'll have big targets now."

Bowen's gain was his brother Sean's pain as this month's Royal Bond winner Farren Glory was travelling powerfully before his heavy fall.

The Gordon Elliott-trained six-year-old emerged unscathed but the runaway jump jockeys' championship leader was stood down for the rest of the card.

The Cheltenham Festival could also be on the radar for Favour And Fortune, who delighted trainer Alan King with a big run in second.

"It looked a proper race and he jumped super and travelled into it," King said. "He handles this ground but I'd love to see him on good ground with the action he's got on him.

"We've got to think about the Supreme and we'll speak to the team to see what we want to do. If we went to Cheltenham, we might go straight there."

Read this next:

'The winner looks like another Kauto Star' - French raider Il Est Francais produces scintillating performance at Kempton

'If it wasn't the King George I probably would have pulled him up' - Gavin Sheehan in shock as Hewick hits 550-1 before unlikely success