A BIG MOMENT AS DANIEL BOWEN SCORES HIS FIRST STAKES WIN WITH THE REJUVENATED AT WITZ END

By Graham Potter | Monday, May 13, 2024

An eight-year-old who is a sixty-two race veteran shouldn’t be doing things like this ... should he?

The turnaround in form of At Witz End has been nothing short of remarkable since the son of Epaulette changed stables and relocated to trainer Daniel Bowen just a couple of months ago ... and there he was at it again at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday, revelling in his revival, winning the Listed ATC Cup over the 1200m.

It’s been a quite a transformation.

That’s five starts for Bowen now in which At Witz End has recorded three wins, a second and a fourth place.
Putting this run of form in perspective is the fact you have to go back just over two-and-a-half years and twenty-four runs to find At Witz End’s last win before transferring to the Bowen stable.

And there is another ‘fairy-tale’ layer to the story.
In those five runs for Bowen, At Witz End has earned $179 250 (in just two months) ... this after Bowen purchased him for just $10 000 at an online sale!

Saturday’s win was outstanding, particularly in terms of At Witz End’s commitment over the concluding stages in which he had to fight every inch of the way to hold the advantage he had gained to the line to keep two very good horses back in the minor placings.

“It was a special day, for sure,” said Daniel Bowen.

“That was an amazing moment for me. Just amazing. It was the biggest win of my career ... my first stakes winner.

“It was really a big moment for me to win that race. Look at the winning trainers before me and after me on the day ... James Cummings ... Waller, Waller, Waller ... Cummings again, Neasham, Waterhouse and Bott and then John Smerdon got one in the last ... so it was a pretty big moment for me to add my name to that list.

“After we got At Witz End to that level and he had been racing well, I was always going to give him a freshen up and give him a crack at that race with a view to see if he might run well in a couple more ... because I want to get to the Ramornie in Grafton ... and the maybe the Kosciuszko.

“It was always that path I had in mind, but he had to take the next step.

‘You know, you are thinking ... well, if he is not up to this level, than it has still been a great ride so far and so be it, but to then beat Yellow Brick (who could be heading for the Stradbroke) and a quality up-and-comer like Freedom Road ... I mean he took that jump, he dug deep and he beat them.”

While At Witz End did enjoy a weight advantage with Yellow Brick (who finished second) and Freedom Road (third), the Bowen trained runner had to be tenacious to secure the result against these two runners, who are both four-year-olds, half the age of At Witz End.

‘Sam (Collett) rode him well,” continued Bowen. “We’ve struck up a good partnership. ‘I think she has six rides for me for three wins and two seconds.” (Collett has won twice on At Witz end and she also saluted on Beef Week Princess fir Bowen when it won at a starting price of $51 at the Gold Coast).

“Only once out of a place, so it’s a good little combination.”

What’s next between now and the Ramornie?

“We have options. Maybe the Chief De Beers in a couple of weeks ... and maybe the Hinkler at Eagle Farm,” answered Bowen.

“They are just Listed races. I don’t really want to go too high and break his heart and have him lose confidence.

“I’ve got to manage him that way so that I can get to the Ramornie with a horse left for that race.

“If I try and run him in too high a grade, I run the risk that he could be a spent force by the time the Ramornie comes around.

“Also, you have got to be mindful and realistic that, as good as he is going, we don’t know how long this window is going to last at this level, so I’m just enjoying the ride as it is now, being grateful ... and just keeping it as easy as I can for the horse.

“I like to keep things grounded.

“Character-wise, he is an amazing horse.

“He is very quiet. He travels well. He stands in the stalls pre-race like and old pony, but, as soon as you put the saddle and the bridle on him, he’ll do like four poos and then you take him to wet his mouth out and he starts strutting.

“He just knows he’s got a job to do. He does that. He just saves himself until it is time to go to work.

“Then after the race when he comes back for a hose or a swab, he just goes to sleep again.

:He’s unreal!

“I am just go very proud of the horse.".

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