Jwala the Queen of York

A four year old filly who harbours an exceptional temperament, Jwala had been slowly improving through the levels since her three year old season and had ended that season with a fine second placed finish behind Sole Power in the Listed level Scarborough Stakes at Doncaster. Confidence was high that the filly could progress even further as a four year old and that hope has turned to reality with an exceptional defeat of Shea Shea and Sole Power in this five furlong Group 1 sprint.

There's a story in this tale and a good one at that. Initially sidelined with an arm muscle injury in 2011, jockey Steve Drowne passed out with an unidentified seizure whilst at home just a week before he was expected to ride Cityscape in the 2012 Dubai Duty Free. 

Such incidents require notification to the British & Vehicle Licencing Agency, whom revoked Drowne's licence due to the unidentified seizure, resulting in the BHA also withdrawing his professional jockey's licence. 

Last season Drowne was one of us, a racing pundit and a good one at that, but this year he is back doing what he does best and what he deserves to be doing. Having been given the all clear, and receiving his driving licence back, the BHA regranted his jockey's licence. 

The partnership Drowne has created with Jwala is nothing short of perfection. Taking the ride on the daughter of Oasis Dream for the first time in July in York's City Walls Stakes over five furlongs, the partnership of Drowne and Jwala powered to success at odds of 16-1. Briefly hindered by a last place finish at Glorious Goodwood, a performance which Cowell explains below, the partnership were back with a bang in the Nunthorpe Stakes this week.

"It was so frustrating because what I had should have only kept me out for a fortnight," said Drowne. "I had to start again but luckily this filly came along for me. I'm just glad to be back."

"She fractured her eye socket last time out and she's come back in fine style," said Cowell, who was winning his first Group 1 since Prohibit's 2010 King's Stand Stakes victory. "I'm absolutely thrilled, she's a grand filly who has come on leaps and bounds."

Jwala now looks to have one more start, potentially in the Prix de L'Abbeye on Arc weekend, before being retired to the breeding sheds.