The top jockey took time out after the retirement of Champion mare Winx (Street Cry {Ire}) to recharge his batteries, saying he was mentally and physically drained, and enjoyed a North American holiday.
But it was back to business on Saturday and as the consummate professional he is, Bowman had his game face on aboard Sir Elton who was again untested as he strolled away with the Everest Carnival H.
Hugh Bowman after his returning win on Sir Elton
"It was nice to come back on an odds-on favourite and I suppose the pressure was on to get the job done, but the horse has been in fine form," Bowman said. "He's certainly got a fine future judging by what I just felt.
"What I was so impressed with was the way he went forward, set up a position then came back and relaxed for me well.
"It was nice to come back on an odds-on favourite and I suppose the pressure was on to get the job done, but the horse has been in fine form." - Hugh Bowman.
He is trained at Gosford by part-owner Adam Duggan who produced him for a belated debut on his home track in May and the wait was worthwhile with Sir Elton an easy victor before demolishing a class 2 line-up at Wyong.
“Everything went smoothly and he travelled well and didn’t turn a hair on the float,” Duggan said. “He got a little bit keyed up with the crowd, but you’d expect that.”
Sir Elton was away well to sit outside the leader from the outside barrier and Bowman was sitting quietly at the top of the straight.
When he slipped him a little more rein, the gelding strode to the front and was far too strong over the closing 100 metres to put a space on the chasers – the best of them being Gimme Shelter (Manhattan Rain).
“He’s a great prospect and he didn’t get it all his own way there,” Duggan said. “He had to do a bit of work so it was a good win.
“He’s a great prospect and he didn’t get it all his own way there.” - Adam Duggan.
“There’s more to come, I don’t really think I’ve had him that fit yet. I’m really looking forward to the future.
“I don't get too far ahead of myself, racing is a great leveller, but it is hard not to get excited about him.”
Duggan had originally tried to get Kerrin McEvoy to ride Sir Elton, but with that jockey in England he found Bowman was returning at Randwick and quickly confirmed the booking.
The pair have known each other for years through Duggan’s brother Ben, who spent time riding with Bowman when they were both under the wing of Group 1 winning trainer Ron Quinton.
“He hasn’t done much riding for me. He doesn’t do much riding where I race at, we’ve been in different circles I suppose,” Duggan told TDNAusNZ.
Trainer Adam Duggan
Pedigree notes
A $175,000 Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale purchase, which blew Duggan’s $100,000 budget, Sir Elton is out of the Rock Of Gibraltar (Ire) mare Calpe and she is a daughter of the multiple stakes winner and G1 Galaxy H. placegetter Unison (Marauding {NZ}).
Under the second dam Zedagal (The Judge) is the former champion 3-year-old, multiple Group 1 winner and sire Zeditave and the family of the outstanding dual Group 1 winner Melito (Redoute’s Choice).
An international flavour is also present in the pedigree through Greys Inn (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}), winner of the G1 Durban July H., the G1 South African Derby and the G1 South African Classic.
Sir Elton was a $175,000 Inglis Premier purchase
"I took a bloke down with me, Mark Webb, who is a very good judge of a yearling and racehorse. He's been in the industry a lot of years, training and riding,” Duggan said.
“I took Mark down and he put some horses on a shortlist and I got down there a couple of days before the sale. We went through them and we just kept coming back to Sir Elton.”
"We could see he was going to be a really nice 3-year-old. He had a lot going for him. He had that good horse's presence about him which a few other people saw as well, we had to see off three or four of them."
