Bowman chasing Group One double

Hugh Bowman has leading chances to win Group One races in two countries this weekend.

Bowman has already won 11 Group One races in Australia this season and two in Hong Kong where he heads after he rides in Brisbane on Saturday.

His Kingsford Smith Cup mount Clearly Innocent is the second favourite for the 1300m-sprint at Eagle Farm while Werther is the likely favourite in the Champions & Chater Cup at Sha Tin on Sunday.

Six of Bowman’s Group One wins have come aboard champion Winx with Le Romain (Cantala Stakes), Flying Artie (Coolmore Stud Stakes), Jameka (BMW), Invader (ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes) and Bonneval (Australian Oaks) his other Australian winners so far.

Werther (Hong Kong Gold Cup) and Lucky Bubbles (Chairman’s Sprint Prize) are his two in Hong Kong.

The Champions & Chater Cup is the final Group One race in Hong Kong for the season with Werther to face six opponents.

Four jockeys have won 10 or more Group One races in a season in Australia in the past 25 years – Darren Beadman, Shane Dye, Nash Rawiller and Bowman.

After the Kingsford Smith, Bowman will have five chances over the remainder of the Brisbane carnival to reach or pass Dye’s record of 13 in Australia.