Top jump racing jockey Sean Bowen will be crown champion rider over the sticks for a second season at Sandown on Saturday – but he could also land another record if he wins the big race on the day – the bet365 Gold Cup.
Sean Bowen Can Become The Winning-Most bet365 Gold Cup Jockey……..Outright
Having fired in over 230 winners this season, Sean Bowen has been out on this own again in the race for the jump jockeys’ championship.
He’s over 100 clear of Harry Skelton, so unless Saturday’s Sandown fixture turns into a monster 150-race card – Bowen will be crowned the 2025-26 jump jockey champion again.
Which will add to this first title last season and really with his huge domination in the saddle at the moment, it will be a brave punter that says he can’t mop-up many more titles in the coming years.
But Bowen still has a long way to go to get near the record haul of AP McCoy, who has won the jump jockeys’ championship a staggering 20 times.
However, the Welsh riding wizard could also add another record to his growing CV on Saturday – if he can win the bet365 Gold Cup.
Bowen will head into the race with three wins to his name and is the current joint winning-most rider in the history of the race, which was first run in 1957.
With his most-recent success coming last season when he partnered the Olly Murphy-trained Resplendent Grey (watch below) to win the ITV Racing contest.
Sandown Jump Finale Sean Bowen celebrates winning the bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase on Resplendent Grey during the Jump Finale meeting at Sandown Park, Esher UK Newspapers OUT Copyright: xMarkxChappellx FIL-21748-0038
Sean Bowen bet365 Gold Cup Wins
- Just A Par (2015)
- Henllan Harri (2017)
- Resplendent Grey (2025)
Sean Bowen currently sits on three bet365 Gold Cup wins – alongside Ron Barry, who fired in his Sandown treble between 1971 and 1974.
Barry was also crowned champion jump jockey twice in his career – between 1972 and 1974.
Which means that should Sean Bowen win the race again on Saturday, he’d become the WINNING-MOST bet365 Gold Cup rider outright with FOUR successes.
Sean Bowen is expected to team-up with last year’s winner Resplendent Grey again this weekend.
The 8yold is now rated 10lbs higher than 12 months ago, but the bet365 Gold Cup trends tell us ALL of the last seven winners were aged 7 or 8.
Resplendent Grey will be looking to become the first ‘back-to-back’ bet365 Gold Cup winner since Topsham Bay (1992-93).
Just behind Bowen and Barry in the bet365 Gold Cup hall-of-fame – are AP McCoy, Richard Johnson, Ruby Walsh, Charlie Swan and Richard Dunwoody – who all won the race twice.
WATCH: Sean Bowen Winning The bet365 Gold Cup in 2025 on Resplendent Grey
bet365 Gold Cup Race Details 2026
📅 Date: Saturday, 25th April 2026
⌚ Time: 3:30pm
🏇 Course: Sandown Park
🔄 Trip: 3m 4 1/2f
💷 Winner’s Prize: £98,473
📺 TV: ITV / Racing TV
bet365 Gold Cup Runners and Betting Odds
See below the expected bet365 Gold Cup runners and betting odds ahead of Saturday’s Sandown race.
- Havaila – 9/2 (Gary & Josh Moore)
- In d’Or – 11/2 (Fergal O’Brien)
- Montregard – 6/1 (Tom Lacey)
- Ask Brewster – 8/1 (Mrs C Williams)
- Road To Home – 10/1 (Willie Mullins)
- Livin On Luco – 12/1 (Philip Hobbs & Johnson White)
- Rock My Way – 12/1 (Joe Tizzard)
- Resplendent Grey – 14/1 (Olly Murphy)
- Henry’s Friend – 16/1 (Ben Pauling)
- Transmission – 16/1 (Neil Mulholland)
- Our Power – 25/1 (Sam Thomas)
- Certainly Red – 33/1 (Lydia Richards)
- Invincible Nao – 33/1 (Gary & Josh Moore)
- Gabbys Cross – 100/1 (Nick Scholfield)
