It's 150 up for relentless jumps jockey Brian Hughes
- Planet Sport writer
- 8 February 2022
Brian Hughes has the work ethic and win-rate to rival any top jumps jockey and the Northern-based rider has racked up 150 wins this season. A second title looks in the bag.
Top Northern jumps jockey Brian Hughes obviously didn't take kindly to losing his title to Harry Skelton last season and has surged to 150 winners already this term.
An 83-1 four-timer at Carlisle helped Hughes hit the landmark.
The northern-based rider extended his lead in the championship to 67 with victories on Skyhill, Lady Tremaine, Mackenberg and Maximilian.
Hughes is in line to regain the top jockey crown he won in 2019-2020, and lost last year to Skelton. Sam Twiston-Davies is doing best of the rest this campaign on 83.
And Hughes is now 4-7 to become only the fourth jockey to get to 200 after Peter Scudamore, Tony McCoy and Richard Johnson.
Hughes didn't get a fitting celebration on the final day of the season at Sandown two years ago, but that is likely to be put right on April 23.
Hughes said: "It has always been my ambition to ride 150 winners and hopefully if I can stay fit and well, I could be champion jockey.
"Although people are saying that is in the bag, I am not going to count my chickens. It is sport and anything can happen yet. If we were going into April, it might be mathematically impossible for the gap to close, but there is a long way in the championship to go.
"Every year I ride the same. Every day I ride with the same hunger, I can't be too complacent. My agent would love to get us to 200 winners for the season. I suppose it is possible, but I would need a lot of luck and for the horses to be in a similar form as they have been.
"It would be great to have a Cheltenham Festival or Aintree winner too. If I can stay healthy and achieve one of these too, it would be a fantastic end to the season," he told Great British Racing.
Hughes set a personal best of 147 for a season at Carlisle by prevailing on the Alison Hamilton-trained Skyhill (3-1 favourite) in the ESK Handicap.
He then took his tally to 148 on evens favourite Lady Tremaine for Donald McCain in the British Stallion Studs EBF Mares' 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle.
McCain, a big supporter of Hughes, laid on the treble courtesy of Mackenberg (13-8) in the Lune Novices' Limited Handicap Chase.
The Cheshire trainer's Maximilian (3-1 favourite) supplied the jockey's incredible four-timer in the Lyne Open National Hunt Flat Race.
Of his partnership with McCain, Hughes added: "I have been incredibly lucky with the way Donald's and other people's horses have been running. My agent has done a great job too, to get me as many rides as he can. I have had an incredible row of luck with it all coming together.
"Donald has been a massive part of my season and the horses have been incredible. My main aim for the season now, asides from the championship, is to help Donald to get to over 153 winners which is his personal best in a season.
"It would be great if our best years yet could coincide, so that is what we are all aiming for now."
