Born on March 12, 2001 in Little Newcastle, Pembrokeshire, South West Wales, James Bowen is the youngest son of former trainer Peter Bowen and his wife, Karen, and the brother of Mickey and Sean Bowen. Formerly a point-to-point trainer, eldest brother Mickey held a joint licence with his father in 2024, before taking over as sole trainer at his Yet-Y-Rhug yard in 2025, while Sean Bowen was British Champion Jump Jockey in 2024/25.
A graduate of the pony racing and point-to-point circuits, James Bowen rode his first winner under Rules, Curious Carlos, bred and owned by Carl Pyne and trained by his father, in a handicap hurdle at Cartmel on May 27, 2017. He subsequently became conditional jockey to Nicky Henderson in Upper Lambourn, Berkshire and was still only 16 years old when he won the postponed Welsh Grand National at Chepstow on Raz Maree, trained by Gavin Cromwell, on January 6, 2018, thereby becoming the youngest jockey ever to do so.
In his first full season, 2017/18, Bowen rode a total of 58 winners and became the youngest ever British Champion Conditional Jockey, taking the record from elder brother Sean, who won the title in 2014/15. He reached the milestone of 75 career winners, thereby riding out his claim and becoming a fully-fledged professional jockey, on Brave Eagle, trained by Henderson, in a handicap hurdle at Southwell on June 12, 2018. At that point, he said, “It’s really good to ride out my claim. Mr Henderson has been really good to me and my parents have been too.”
Bowen rode his first Grade 1 winner, Jango Baie in the Formby Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree, on Boxing Day 2023, but has since added two more, Lulamba in the Four Year Old Hurdle at Punchestown on May 3, 2025 and, most recently, Jonbon in the Clarence House Chase at Ascot on January 17, 2026; all three winners were trained by Nicky Henderson. On the latter occasion, Bowen was a late replacement for Harry Cobden, the newly-appointed retained rider for leading owner John P. McManus, but injured in a fall in the previous race.
Reflecting on the contrasting fortunes of the jockeys involved, winning trainer Nicky Henderson said, “I’m sorry for Harry but thrilled for James, who is riding brilliantly. It’s special when you can do the horse justice, which he has certainly done.” Bowen said, “I’m really grateful to Mr. Henderson and Mr. McManus for letting me ride him after the last time [when beaten at long odds-on], hopefully I put things right anyway.”