Jockey James Bowen believes victory in the Randox Grand National at Aintree Racecourse would be the 'icing on the cake' for his whole career.
Bowen will partner the Ben Pauling-trained Kildisart in the world's greatest steeplechase at Aintree in front of the returning racegoers as well as his parents and girlfriend.
The 21-year-old jockey will be making his third start in the Aintree marathon, having already equalled his highest tally of winners for a season – including one over the Grand National fences.
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The Welsh-born rider has 72 victories so far this term – the same number he achieved in the 2018-19 campaign.
And victory on the Simon Munir and Isaac Souede-owned gelding or any of his other rides over the three days in Liverpool would see him create a new seasonal best.
Mum and dad Karen and trainer Peter Bowen – whose Mac Tottie the jockey partnered to victory in the Betway Grand Sefton Chase over the Aintree obstacles in November – and his girlfriend of 18 months Niamh Mason will be on the track hoping to cheer him home.
Bowen said: “Mum and dad wouldn’t miss the Grand National, while my girlfriend Niamh will be there too.
“They (mum and dad) love the Grand National as do I. It is the biggest race and the one that everyone wants to win. I don’t think you can compare it to anything else really.
“I think it would be the icing on the cake for my whole career, not just my season if I win the Grand National as I don’t think it will get any better than that.
“In my previous attempts I pulled up on Shantou Flyer and was ninth on Outlander, so I’ve had a couple of good spins.
“They were outsiders really, as is Kildisart, but in a race like this you always keep your hopes up. He is definitely the classiest horse I’ve ridden in the race.”
Kildisart was off the track for 462 days but made his return when fourth in the Grade Three Greatwood Gold Cup at Newbury last month.
And as a warm-up for Saturday's Grand National, Bowen believes it was an ideal run.
He added: “We were going out there the last day with an open mind. We didn’t think we would win the race, but even if he pulled up we would probably still have run in the Grand National.
“For him to finish fourth was pretty encouraging. He stayed on from the back of the last really well. He exceeded my expectations.
“It was quite nice to sit on him the last day and get a feel for him. That was over two and a half (miles) but it is a completely different situation to what the Grand National is going to be.
“It was the perfect prep run as he took a blow, but he stayed on. He was probably quite eye-catching to a lot of people. He will have to come on for that run but I think he will do.“
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Kildisart will be making his debut over the famous Aintree fences as well as attempting the trip of more than four miles for the first time. But the jockey has no worries about his suitability for either.
Bowen said: “He stays well and has run well in plenty of big handicaps. He was seventh in the Ladbrokes Trophy, second in the Ultima.
“Jumping wise he jumps fine. He is not an extravagant jumper, which is perfect for those fences. He has got a good level of ability and has that experience in big handicaps which helps.
“When you have run in these big handicaps at the Cheltenham Festival and Aintree before and been able to finish pretty close in those races it is a massive factor and you need that coming into a Grand National.
“Daryl (Jacob) schooled him over the Aintree-style fences and he looked good, but it was never going to be a problem for him.”
Bowen will also be looking for more success over the Grand National fences with Grand Sefton Chase winner Mac Tottie on Ladies Day this week.
Mac Tottie, who is still entered in the Grand National but won't make the cut as he is 52nd on the current list of entries, is set to line-up in the Grade Three Randox Topham Handicap Chase on Friday.
And Bowen added: “I think it does help having won over the National fences already this season.
“You get some jockeys that have a good record over them and some that don’t. That is probably nothing down to the way they ride over them, just the horses they are on.
“Mentally it does make a difference when you do get a winner around there. Hopefully Mac Tottie will run in the Topham as well. I’m just waiting on what Nicky Henderson does, but hopefully I will be able to ride him. He will have a very light weight and I’ll probably do the lightest in three years, but I’ll give it a go.”
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Bowen has a number of scheduled rides over the three days on Merseyside with his 'favourite' horse Mister Fisher set to line-up in the Grade One Marsh Chase also on Friday's seven-race card.
The rider said: “I’m booked to ride Pats Fancy , who is a nice horse, in the Mildmay Novices’ Chase on Friday and I’m also on Mister Fisher in the Marsh later on the card.
“He ran well at Ascot the last day on soft ground and he got pulled out of the Ryanair, which was the right thing to do as it ended up going soft.
“There is rain forecast but hopefully it won’t get much worse than good to soft.
“If the ground is like that it would give him a decent chance as he is a two stone better horse on decent ground. I think people do overlook him as all of his bad runs are on worse ground.
“He has never had a chance in a Grade One like this on better ground. He has got a high rating and off ratings there is only a few pounds difference between him and the favourite (Fakir D'oudairies).
“It would be pretty incredible if I could win a Grade One on him. I won my first Grade Two on him and he has been pretty good for my career. If he could win me my first Grade One he would definitely be my favourite horse.”
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