Birthday: Jul 14, 1980

Type: Club Jockey

Nationality: Australian

Background:
Age: 44. Hugh Bowman's name will forever be etched in racing folklore following his famous partnership with Australia's champion mare Winx. The winner of four consecutive W.S. Cox Plates at Moonee Valley, Winx won 37 of her 43 career starts in Australia with Bowman partnering her to 25 Group 1 victories. Bowman has been crowned Sydney Champion Jockey on four occasions and boasts more than 100 wins at Group 1 level. In Hong Kong, Bowman has enjoyed huge success having twice won the Hong Kong Derby, while an association with Werther also returned victories in the QEII Cup, Hong Kong Gold Cup and Champions & Chater Cup. He also won the International Jockeys' Championship in 2016 at Happy Valley and he added another Group 1 win to his tally last term with Invincible Sage in the 2024 Chairman's Sprint Prize. Born in rural New South Wales, Dunedoo to be exact, Bowman began working horses at a young age on the farm and comes from a lineage of horsemen with his grandfather and father both riding as amateur jockeys. At around age 15, Bowman began riding in country shows and picnic races. He also played polocrosse and participated in campdrafting. In 1997 he left school and started his apprenticeship as a jockey and was indentured to Leanne Aspros at Bathurst. Bowman then plied his trade under legendary New South Wales racing figure Ron Quinton, completing his apprenticeship under the handler in Sydney. During his career, Bowman has been associated with Winx, Exceed And Excel, Samantha Miss, Werther and Cheval Grand. In 2019, Bowman was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame. Bowman collected his 100th win in Hong Kong in season 2023/24, netting a career-high 69 wins to finish third in the jockeys' championship last term.

Achievements:
Sydney Champion Jockey (2008/09, 2011/12, 2014/15, 2016/17); LONGINES World's Best Jockey (2017); International Jockeys' Championship (2016), Australian Racing Hall of Fame inductee (2019).

Notable Race Wins Include
Hong Kong Derby (2016 Werther, 2019 Furore), Hong Kong Gold Cup (2017 Werther), QEII Cup (2016 Werther), Champions & Chater Cup (2017 Werther, 2023 Russian Emperor), Chairman's Sprint Prize (2017 Lucky Bubbles, 2024 Invincible Sage), Hong Kong Classic Mile (2019 Furore, 2024 Helios Express), Hong Kong Classic Cup (2024 Helios Express), W.S. Cox Plate (2015, 2016, 2017 & 2018 Winx), Golden Slipper (2020 Farnan), Japan Cup (2017 Cheval Grand), Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2013 Reliable Man, 2017, 2018 & 2019 Winx), Doncaster Mile (2016 Winx), Epsom Handicap (2015 Winx, 2018 Hartnell), Australian Oaks (2009 Daffodil, 2012 Streama, 2016 Sofia Rosa, 2017 Bonneval, 2018 Unforgotten), George Main Stakes (2012 Shoot Out, 2016, 2017 & 2018 Winx), Turnbull Stakes (2015 Preferment, 2017 & 2018 Winx), Tancred Stakes (2013 Fiveandahalfstar, 2016 Preferment, 2017 Jameka), Singapore Derby (2023 Golden Monkey).

Hong Kong Career Wins
(at start of 2024/25 season): 160 (win strike rate 12.5%).