He’s always reminded me of a cowboy from the Wild West who lost his way and time traveled to today and with writer H.G. Welles giving him a new persona with no memory of from where he came. Even his surname could be the title of a Western television series- Bowman- Hugh Bowman.
He’s one of the very few jockeys who doesn’t fit that stereotype of a jockey.
Firstly, he’s lanky. He also has a ‘look’ that brings to mind actors like Gary Cooper, James Arness who played Marshal Matt Dillon on the American television series “Gunsmoke” and Clint Eastwood as The Man With No Name in those groundbreaking Sergio Leone westerns.
The man- The Bowman- is rattlesnake cool and cacti smart. How many jockeys can be described this way?
Of course all this could have to do with my fascination for characters like Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, Pat Garret and Billy The Kid and everything I continue to read up on the Wild West.
It could also have to do with having taken one too many trips through the desert on a horse with no name.
Getting back to Hugh Bowman, the first time I met him for any amount of time was when former jockey and friend Wayne Harris, who was holidaying in Hong Kong, brought me to a dinner hosted by him and being held in a restaurant up on the Peak.
I felt awkward as I hadn’t been invited, but Hugh was warm and open as were his parents who were visiting Hong Kong at the time and his wife Christine.
I adore Christine. She’s apples. She’s also Irish, quite mad, very good fun, and when told who was behind an anonymous horse racing gossip fodder column, she insisted on having a photograph taken with the Racingb*tch, my nom de plume those days.
Over the years I have met the Bowmans as a couple and when The Huge One- his Twitter handle is @hugebowman- has made flying visits to ride in Hong Kong.
I remember being at the Champagne Bar with a friend a few years ago who saw that Hugh was sitting opposite us. He might have been with his good friend (Trainer) Kris Lees.
Despite the urgings of my friend, no, I wasn’t going to go up and disturb his conversation.
I didn’t have to as about half an hour later, there was a “Hello, mate”, and it was Hugh.
We had a short chat, and little things like that say much about the character of a person. It’s a combination of being polite and sincere and thoughtful.
Around this time, Winx was about to retire, and like everyone else who follows horse racing, I had followed the adventures of the wonder mare, her rider and trainer Chris Waller.
I had purchased quite a bit of Winx memorabilia as an investment and which hang on a wall in my apartment in Hong Kong inbetween paintings by Ronnie Wood of the Rolling Stones and collectors’ items photographs of the Beatles. It’s an interesting wall.
As for word that Hugh Bowman is going to perhaps be in Hong Kong for an extended stay after his three month licence is up, this would be good for everyone connected with racing in the city.
After all, here’s a top jockey who has been associated with one of the world’s greatest gallopers of all time, he is not a one trick pony and is someone who’s handled everything thrown his way in his own quiet way.
Money and more money might be able to buy material needs, but not inner resolve.
He knows the lay of the land in Hong Kong, the Chinese racing media know and respect him through his wins, especially on Werther, while owners and trainers want him on their horses.
At a time when like the city itself, Hong Kong racing is not what it was- neither is the entire world- it’s all about looking for building blocks and seeing if something is interesting enough, how and where the pieces fit and who wishes to come along for the ride- and for how long.
For the racing game, Hugh Bowman is a stabilising influence. He just is. He can provide part the groundwork Hong Kong racing needs from which new things can grow.
