Colin Bowe is the leading handler for the eighth time, after he finished the shortened season on 29 winners.
In all, he had a total of 122 runners which produced 29 winners, with a further 45 horses making the placings, 20 having finished second and 25 third.
Of those winners, the vast majority were partnered by his long-standing stable jockey Barry O’Neill, with the reigning champion rider, aboard 23 of Bowe’s 29 winners.
A further three riders found success aboard Milestone Stable winners during the season – Rob James partnering three of them, James Kenny two, with Peter Kavanagh riding a winner for Bowe at Nenagh in February.
Barry O’Neill partnered 23 of those winners, whilst Rob James 3 winners, James Kenny 2 winners and Peter Kavanagh 1 winner completed the list.
It also proved to be a successful season for Bowe in the sales ring, with four of his 29 winners breaking the £200,000 barrier, chief amongst them being Amarillo Sky.
The Borris House victor went on to realise £280,000 at the Cheltenham Festival Sale in March.
Fiston de Issards, an impressive winner of his four-year-old maiden at Loughanmore in October, was subsequently sold for £255,000 at the Tattersalls Cheltenham November Sale, whilst Gerri Colombe, who won his maiden at Lingstown in March, was another to sell well at the Tattersalls Cheltenham Festival sale when making £240,000.
The Cragmore four-year-old maiden winner Brandy Love completed the quartet of big-price sellers for Bowe when she was sold for £200,000 at the Tattersalls Cheltenham February Sale.
It was also a notable year for Bowe’s graduates, with no fewer than three of his ex-graduates winning at the 2020 Cheltenham Festival.
Envoi Allen took the Grade 1 Ballymore Novices Hurdle, the opening race on day two of the Cheltenham Festival.
The now Gordon Elliott trained individual won his point-to-point maiden at Ballinaboola in 2018 for Colin Bowe and Barry O’Neill.
Ferny Hollow won the concluding race on day two of the Festival when running out a two and a half-length victor of the Grade 1 Weatherbys Champion Bumper.
The five-year-old won his maiden at Knockanard in 2019 for Colin Bowe and Jimmy O’Rourke before being sold for £300,000 to Harold Kirk and Willie Mullins.
Bowe’s third winner at this years’ Cheltenham Festival was by supplied by Samcro after he won the Grade 1 Marsh Novices Chase in the hands of Davy Russell.
Samcro won his four-year-old maiden in 2016 at his local track in Monksgrange.
Completing a notable six months for Bowe, he also received the HRI Point-to-Point Award at this year’s HRI Awards which took place in December.
In all 151 handlers enjoyed success during the shortened season with Denis Murphy finishing second on 18 winners, and Tipperary handler Sam Curling one further winner behind in third.
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