(Colin Bowe accepting his award from Zoe Codd)
EASYFIX Handler- Colin Bowe
The 2017/18 season saw 230 handlers train a winner with 26 more than five.
Of the 79 four-year-old maidens this spring, 46 were trained in Wexford.
This year’s leading handler, Colin Bowe trained 33 winners of which 12 of those were four-year-old winners this spring, 31 Seconds, 27 Thirds and 24 fourths.
The leading handler’s title was first awarded in 2008 where Bowe had 11 winners and since then he has never been out of the first three. This year is his sixth handler’s title which is also his fourth in a row.
This year’s leading rider, Barry O’Neill, partnered 25 of the 33 winners for the Bowe team.
Two of Bowe’s graduates enjoyed further success on the track with Samcro taking the Grade 1 Ballymore Novices´ Hurdle and the Grade 1 Deloitte Novice Hurdle as well as Getabird winning the Grade 2 Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle and the Grade 2 Rathbarry & Glenview Studs Novice Hurdle.
Bowe topped Sales this season with Trevelyn’s Corn who made £400,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland Cheltenham December Sale following his maiden success at Borris House.
The Wexford native was closely matched throughout the season with Donnchadh Doyle and Pat Doyle. Bowe first went in front in the handler’s title on the final weekend of the autumn season where he was on eight winners to Denis Murphy’s six winners.
He stayed in front until the second week of March when Donnchadh Doyle went in front following his eight winners over two days. Bowe regained the lead on the third weekend in May following five winners between Necarne and Oldcastle.
Going into the final weekend Bowe was three winners in front and had a further two winners at Kinsale and Ballingarry which sealed the victory.
Colin Bowe's best horses include:
Shantou Flyer, Little King Robin and Askanna, all Grade 2 winners that Bowe also trained himself.
Western Warhorse – winner of the Grade 1 Arkle Chase for David Pipe.
Shinrock Paddy - Grade 1 Novice hurdle winner for Paul Nolan.
Ballyalton – Listed Novice Chase winner at Cheltenham 2016 for Ian Williams.
The Druids Nephew – Grade 3 Cheltenham Chase winner for Neil Mulholland
Monbeg Dude – Coral Welsh National winner for Michael Scudamore.
Getabird – Dual Grade 2 Novice Hurdle winner for Willie Mullins
Samcro – Dual Grade 1 Novice Hurdle winner for Gordon Elliott
This years top five leading handlers were:
| Colin Bowe | 33 |
| Donnchadh Doyle | 28 |
| P.M.J. Doyle | 23 |
| Denis Paul Murphy | 17 |
| D. M. Christie | 12 |
| Eugene M.O'Sullivan | 12 |
