Hugh Bowman to miss Winx’s comeback run

Hugh Bowman has been hit with a suspension which will cost him the ride on champion Winx when she resumes in the Apollo Stakes on the 17th February.

The premier Sydney jockey was outed at the Karaka Million meeting at Ellerslie in Auckland on Saturday, a ban which comes on top of a suspension out of the Warwick Farm meeting a day earlier.

When it became obvious during the afternoon Bowman was in trouble, Racing NSW stewards took a phone call from New Zealand and amended his Warwick Farm ban to start on Monday rather than February 4 and end on February 10.

It was to no avail with the New Zealand stewards giving Bowman a suspension which starts on February 10 and ends on February 22 with Winx to come back five days earlier.

The suspension came out of the Group Three City Of Auckland Cup in which Bowman was judged to have shifted out in the straight on the eventual runner-up Five To Midnight, bumping third placed Comin’ Through.

Bowman also finished second in the Karaka Million 2YO on Al Hasa but had some joy at the meeting, winning the Group Two Westbury Classic on Thee Auld Floozie.

He will be at Sunday’s Sha Tin meeting in Hong Kong where his rides include Werther and Lucky Bubbles.

Indications are trainer Chris Waller will decide in the next few days on a replacement for Winx who will be aiming for her 23rd straight win.

Bowman has been aboard the mare for the past 21 of her 22 consecutive wins which include three Cox Plates.

He has ridden Winx in the past 21 starts of her 22 win-streak which includes three Cox Plates.

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Breaking: @HugeBowman has just confirmed he will NOT be appealing his suspension at Ellerslie tonight and is resigned to missing the ride on Winx on her Feb 17. He does not expect Chris Waller to change mare’s programme to suit him.

— Michael Guerin (@GuerinSports) January 27, 2018

Bowman: “I won’t be appealing it and I expect her (Winx) to start as planned on the 17th and I won’t be riding her, which will be a strange experience. I don’t know who will be next in line but Chris will work something out.”

— Michael Guerin (@GuerinSports) January 27, 2018