This is gripping stuff!
Hughes gives up Paco ride as title within reach
RICHARD HUGHES will surrender the ride on Paco Boy in Saturday's Breeders' Cup Mile in order to remain in Britain and ride in the final days of the jockeys' championship.
Hughes revealed the news on a dramatic day in which he cut the gap in the title race to just two after landing a winner at Nottingham on Wednesday. Paul Hanagan leads Hughes by 186 winners to 184 after failing to add to his total from eight rides at Kempton.
Hughes was denied the chance to reduce the deficit even further when the helicopter taking him to Kempton's evening meeting was grounded due to bad weather and the car he subsequently took was unable to reach the course in time.
There was a silver lining to missing Kempton, though, because Hughes may now be able to ride on Friday after he was previously ruled out due to the nine-meetings-a-week rule.
Tony Hind, Richard Hughes's agent, indicated as much on Wednesday evening after stating that he would return home and try to find the jockey rides on Friday at either Wolverhampton or Southwell.
With jockey bookings for Friday already completed, the BHA will need to be given an acceptable reason for any changes made.
BHA head of communications Paul Struthers explained on Wednesday evening: "Richard's agent will be on the phone trying to get him rides for Friday and it will be up to the disciplinary department or the stewards on the day to approve.
"There are a number of acceptable reasons, such as if Richard Hannon had any runners, then he would be able to switch - or something similar. There is also an 'any other acceptablereasons' option which would have to be approved by the stewards."
Hughes made the most of Hanagan bypassing Nottingham by steering 17-2 chance Spring Secret to victory in the 1m2f handicap on what turned out to be his penultimate ride of the day.
Hughes, who rode six consecutive losers at short prices at Nottingham before the winner, said: "You don't need the best horse to win in this ground, just the horse that handles it best."
If Hughes should fail to find any rides on Friday, the championship will go down to Saturday's fixture at Doncaster after Hughes reversed his original decision to miss the final two days of the season in order to ride at Churchill Downs for the Breeders' Cup. Ryan Moore will now ride Paco Boy.
Hughes, who so far has a solitary booking on Expose at Doncaster on Saturday, said after the last race at Nottingham: "I will be riding at Doncaster on Saturday but I don't know what I'll be riding."
If Hughes wins the championship itwill mark an incredible comeback. When he returned from a seven-day ban on October 22 he was 13 winners behind Hanagan and Ladbrokes had already paid out on his rival winning the championship.
Hughes and Hanagan go head-to-head at both Lingfield and Kempton on Thursday with Hughes having 12 rides and Hanagan ten.
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