Hughes has full book of rides for Musselburgh jumps opener

Mussel burgh’s new jumps campaign gets underway today with an eight-race behind closed doors program me which sees reigning champion jockey Brian Hughes with a full book of rides.

Hughes has ridden a total of 84 winners at the track and no other jockey has got close to that tally since the national hunt circuit opened in January 1987.

Richard Johnson, leading rider for the previous four seasons, makes the long journey north for just one mount, the Micky Hammond-trained Wisteria rose in the concluding Racing TV.com Mares’ Maiden Open National Hunt Flat Race.

While both Hughes and Johnson have vast experience of Musselburgh, 18-year- old Oxfordshire -based amateur Luke Scott is having his first rides at the course.

Scott, who partners Pc Dixon (12.50) and S corpo (2.20), has yet to ride a winner under Rules after 16 attempts but has been successful six times in point to point contests.

The card opens with the Support Jim Beaumont’s Greatest Challenge At gofundme.com Novices’ Hurdle, a race which is par t of an initiative for the son of Grand National- winning owner Beaumont who was involved in a serious accident earlier in the year.

David Jeffreys, the nephew of former Kelso racecourse chairman Johnny Jeffreys, sends up two runners from his Cotswolds stable at Stow-on-the-wold

DJ, as he is widely known, saddles Thirtyfourstiches and Flight y Bride in the first and last races respectively.

Olly Murphy, whose three runners at Musselburgh last season all won, is single-handed with hat-trick seeking Del Duque in the Bet At racingtv.com Handicap Hurdle, a Qualifier for the Nor thern Lights Stayers Hurdle Series in the spring.

Donald McCain’s Breakfast, who will have Hughes on board in the first division of the Get Daily Tips At racingtv.com Handicap Hurdle, warmed up for this race with a recent Flat spin, and is one for the shortlist.

He shaped with promise as a juvenile hurdler in 2018 but has obviously had some issues since, because his Newcastle run came on the back of a 716day break. Improvement is anticipated.

At Kempton, Cotai Bear can finally come good in the Unibet 3 Uni-boosts A Day Nursery Handicap after three luckless maiden runs.