HOW amazing is it that of the four jockeys to have completed a double century of wins in a British National Hunt season, two of them were born in Northern Ireland, A.P. McCoy who did so on a mind-boggling nine occasions and now Brian Hughes who hit the 200-mark at Perth on Wednesday.

Also somewhat amazingly Hughes did so in the two-mile handicap chase on board Dreams Of Home who he partnered to his 100th win of the campaign at Ayr in November.

Fittingly, the six-year-old Jet Away gelding is trained by Donald McCain who has supplied the south Armagh-born jockey with 101 of those successful mounts.

England’s Peter Scudamore and Richard Johnson were the other two jockeys to achieve the feat and, now based in Scotland, Scudamore was at Perth on Wednesday to congratulate Hughes in person as was McCoy while Hughes’s weighroom colleagues all came out to cheer him back to the winner’s enclosure.

It has been obvious for some time that the 36-year-old would regain the title he won in the Covid-stricken 2019/20 season when he was quietly presented with his trophy at home in north Yorkshire by Mick Fitzgerald.

Today, he will be acclaimed at Sandown in the company of relations and friends travelling to the final meeting of the season from far and near.

Quotes

FOLLOWING his 200th win of the season at Perth on Wednesday on Dreams Of Home, Brian Hughes was interviewed by Racing TV’s Gordon Brown and the following are just some of the quotes from the British champion jumps jockey.

  • I was getting a bit twitchy when it was hard to get the winners, but thank God it’s happened.
  • I had a lot of luck this year and thankfully I didn’t have any injuries or suspensions, it all went my way. I had my fair share of luck.
  • Since my time with Kevin Prendergast, we were always taught to work hard and you get out of this game what you put in. I’m one of the lucky ones that have been able to make a career out of something you’d nearly do for free.
  • Everyone in Donald’s yard have played a massive role this year, we’ve got a great team, without any of them you struggle to have the operation go smoothly as it has done and with Donald’s placing of the horses. Every winner means something to get to that total.
  • My agent, Richard Hale, has done a phenomenal job this year. He’s like my friend as well as my agent. My wife jokes that I speak to Richard more than I speak to her.

    • Asked about it being emotional having everyone at Sandown this year, Hughes replied:

  • Anyone that knows me knows that I was probably happy that I didn’t get any presentation. I don’t really like to be at the centre of attention. There’s a crew going to Sandown on Saturday. I’ve one sister in Melbourne who’s come across, a sister from Canada, and obviously Mum and Dad, Elaine and Stephanie and Jennifer are coming from home. There’re coming from all corners of the globe, and a big team from Yorkshire. Myself and Lucy and the kids are going for a few days away, just a couple of days’ break. We only have a week and we’re back on at Hexham again .... We’ll get revved up for the next season.”

    • Asked about the other riders coming out to applaud him back in:

  • I’m not a very emotional person but I must admit that touched me a bit. Everyone came out and the people cheered me in, I was really taken aback by it, but I really appreciate people’s good wishes.”

    • Lambe lends his praise for Hughes

    “HE’s some kid!” was the comment of trainer James Lambe when asked to give his view of Brian Hughes partnering his 200th winner of the season at Perth on Wednesday. “I was talking to him earlier in the week and told him I’d my fingers crossed that he’d hit the 200,” said Lambe who is extremely proud of the part he played in introducing Hughes to jump racing and helping to mould a now dual champion jockey.

    “Brian gives everything 100% effort and no more deserves this success more than he does. He is really living his dream and not only is Brian a top-class jockey but he’s a top-class human being as well. I’m absolutely delighted for him and his family.”