Hughes racks up another century
Victory on Let Me Be takes Brian back to top in title race
ARMAGH jockey Brian Hughes reached 100 winners for the campaign with a four-timer at Newcastle as he overtook reigning champion Richard Johnson in this season’s British title race. Let Me Be (5-6 favourite) gave Hughes his century with a lastgasp victory in the bet365 ‘Junior’ Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race.
Keith Dalgleish’s three-year-old responded to his determined rider’s urgings to get up in the final strides and defeat Who won the toss by a neck.
Johnson had led by two at the start of play, but Newtownhamilton man Hughes was in unstoppable form as he became the first to three figures this term.
The Dalgleish-trained Starplex (11-10 favourite) got Hughes off to a flying start by taking the opening bet365 Handicap Hurdle.
He doubled up on Theflickeringlight (9-4 favourite) for trainer Phil Kirby in the bet365 Mares’ Handicap Hurdle, with Ettila De Sivola (11-8 favourite) getting up to give him a treble in the bet365.com Novices’ Handicap Chase, before Let Me Be capped Hughes’ day.
The rider told Sky Sports Racing: ‘I did it last year probably a week or two before Christmas, but it’s great to get 100 winners, it’s what you set out every year to do.’
Altior features among eight entries for the Ladbrokes Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton on Friday. The brilliant two-miler took this prize 12 months ago, and the nine-year-old could bid to return to winning ways after having his 19-race winning streak ended by Cyrname at Ascot last month.
Trainer Nicky Henderson had thought of trying Altior over three miles in the King George VI Chase, but took him out of the three-mile showpiece at the confirmation stage.
Alan King’s Sceau Royal, beaten twice by Altior last season, is one of his potential rivals, along with two Irish-trained possibles – Willie Mullins’ Duc De Genievres and Henry de Bromhead’s Ordinary World.
The other contenders are Bun Doran, Caid Du Lin, Capeland and Ascot winner Riders Onthe Storm.
French import Fanion D’Estruval could get the chance to build on his winning debut in Britain by heading for the Ladbrokes Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase.
Formerly with Guillaume Macaire, the four-year-old got off the mark at the first time of asking for Venetia Williams at Newbury last month.
Among eight entries for the Grade Two contest are the Nigel Twiston Davies-trained Al Dancer and Harry Whittington’s Rouge Vif. Dan Skelton has put in his mare Maire Banrigh, while Editeur Du Guite, Global Citizen, Grand Sancy and Lust For Glory make up the octet.
Racing at Thurles was abandoned due to poor visibility. The first race had been delayed in an attempt to give fog more time to lift. There is no more racing in Ireland or Britain until St Stephen’s Day.
Paisley Park skipped his intended run in yesterday’s Grade One Marsh Hurdle, The Worlds End taking the win in the Ascot race better known as the Long Walk.
Emma Lavelle will assess future plans for the horse after withdrawing him. The undisputed king of the staying hurdle division was due to bid for back-to-back wins in the Grade One contest, but Lavelle made the decision to take him out following a morning which saw two inspections at the Berkshire track.
She said: ‘Ascot have gone a great job with the ground, but there are a couple of patches of false ground and we have taken the decision to pull him out as he is too good a horse to risk him. No plans yet.’
Lavelle’s pride and joy carried all before him last season, winning each of his five starts, crowned by the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
The seven-year-old had picked up where he left off when giving weight and a beating to Thistlecrack in last month’s Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury, and was oddson to continue his winning streak.
Lavelle’s husband and assistant Barry Fenton told Sky Sports Racing: ‘We couldn’t live with ourselves if anything went wrong. It was our gut feeling and we followed it. We have waited a lifetime to get a horse like this and it’s our duty to look after him.
‘He’s bouncing. He’s in great form, but we’ll just have a rethink about where we go now.’