A TOP KING GEORGE CHANCE FOR HUGHES
RETIRING champion jockey Richard Hughes believes he has been handed a massive opportunity to sign off his riding career in style after being booked for 7-1 third favourite Eagle Top in tomorrow’s King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
The John Gosden-trained colt will be the last ride at Ascot for Hughes, who retires seven days later to concentrate on his forthcoming training career.
William Buick was expected to ride Eagle Top, but has been claimed by boss Sheik Mohammed for Romsdal who, along with odds-on Derby and Eclipse Stakes-winning favourite Golden Horn, makes it three runners in the 10-horse line-up for Gosden.
Half of Eagle Top’s six races have been at Ascot. He won the 2014 King Edward VII Stakes, was injured when fourth in last year’s King George and finished second to Snow Sky in the Hardwicke Stakes at last month’s royal meeting after getting involved in a barging match with Postponed.
Hughes said: ‘It’s good ride, one of the best rides I’ve had in the race. I could have ridden (2010 winner) Harbinger but stuck with (third-placed) Youmzain as that is where my loyalties lay at the time.
‘Things did not go Eagle Top’s way last time, but his best runs have been when he goes to sleep in the first half of the race and comes home strongly. Maybe that’s why I was chosen. Golden Horn is very good. If he is a champion he will overcome everything, but it is going to be his toughest race.’
Hughes has ridden i n six King Georges, and was placed three times on Mick Channon’s Youmzain, including a four-length second to Dylan Thomas in 2007.
The prospect of significant rain arriving at Ascot today will ease the Good to Firm going but Hughes is not expecting it to alter significantly.
The three- time champion was unable to sign off from Sandown on a winner yesterday when final ride, Star Rider, was fourth to Richard Hannontrained, Tom Marquand-ridden Who Dares Wins in the Unibet Racing Handicap. The progressive stayer will ultimately head to jumps trainer Alan King to assess his Triumph Hurdle chances. The good news for Hughes is that the colt’s syndicate managing- owner Henry Ponsonby is sending him a yearling to train for the 2016 season. A MARES- only novices’ hurdle has been added to the third day of next year’s Cheltenham Festival, replac
ing the charity race.