FEATURE BRIAN HUGHES
piece of history that I’ll share with him. I didn’t really believe it was achievable, but we got to 100 winners in mid-November and then the 150 mark in early February, and at that point, my agent said it jokingly to the press. “We had the bit between our teeth then and we had a couple of days to spare in the end. I really appreciated all of the trainers who supported me – they could see how much of an effort it was and I really appreciated everyone’s good will.” Hughes’ modesty shines through as he reflects on his achievements, but that perhaps stems from the fact that his sole Grade One winner to date remains Waiting Patiently in the 2018 Ascot Chase. But winners at every level are what drive him forward and he rarely looks past that as our conversation turns to his aspirations for the season. He says: “The only goal I have is to be a three-time champion jockey and then I’ll say something else if that ever happens. “I’d love to ride a big Grade One winner at one of the festivals, but the aim is to win title number three. Believe it or not, I’ve ridden more winners at this point of the season than this time last year! At the start of July last year, I had 23 winners and I’ve had 33 this year. “Donald [McCain] has sent me videos this morning of horses in the yard and he’s got such a bundle of talent this year. If they stay fit and healthy, I’d like to believe that I’m the one to beat.”
then I got nicer news in really strange circumstances – so it’s funny how these things work out.” Hughes is clearly a man who thinks of those around him, and while he enjoyed his Sandown Park coronation this year, he insists that such occasions and a party planned at his house in mid-July are more for his friends and family than they are for himself. He says: “Sandown was a great day – all my family were there. Luci, my wife, was there with her family and the kids, so it was lovely. Jockeys have a lot of people supporting them in the background and they don’t get any recognition, so it was about giving them a nice day. “Anybody who knows me will understand that I’m not really a party person, but I suppose my wife and one of my sisters were fairly up for a party! It’s a way to thank people like the trainers, owners and the staff in the yards – people who have supported me all the way.” One thing Hughes does allow himself to indulge in is the rare achievement of riding 200 jumps winners in a season, something he feels will be his legacy in the sport. “Hitting 200 winners is probably the only bit of history that my name will be attached to!” he says. “I consider AP McCoy, Richard Johnson and Peter Scudamore to have legendary status and I don’t think people would consider me on that level – and rightly so. I grew up watching AP with him being Northern Irish, so it was nice to do it and it’s probably the only
“The only goal I have is to be a three- time champion jockey and then I’ll say something else if that ever happens”
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