Richard Hughes has acquired the use of a helicopter to circumvent the Friday evening traffic today as he accelerates his bid to retain the jockeys’ championship with the first of successive double shifts totalling 23 rides in two days.
Meanwhile, his principal trainer, Richard Hannon, revealed at Salisbury yesterday that his own prospects of overhauling John Gosden for the trainers’ title could be enhanced by a supplementary entry for Toronado in the Qipco Champion Stakes after he contests the Prix du Moulin in France next week.
Hughes, who has eroded Ryan Moore’s once commanding lead to nine, is riding at both Haydock Park and Kempton Park today after an unexpected offer from an owner. “Dave Barrett, who owns Democretes, wanted me to ride his horse at Haydock and I said I could only do so if he got me back to Kempton for the evening meeting,” he explained. “He has laid on his helicopter and it means I’ve got 12 rides rather than six.”
With Moore serving a four-day suspension and expected to have additional international commitments at the end of next month, this could be the pivotal time in the title duel., this could be the pivotal time in the title duel. Hughes will dash down the M6 to Wolverhampton tomorrow evening and hopes to do so after a third group one sprint victory this season aboard Sole Power. The Irish-trained favourite featured among 18 declarations for the Betfred Sprint Cup.
A spectacular waiting ride was employed by Hughes in the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes last month and he promises to repeat the tactics tomorrow. “If he gets too much daylight in a race, he loses all momentum,” Hughes said. “A lot of handicappers are similar but they don’t have his turn of foot.
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“We have a good draw in stall nine, as I need to get cover quick and keep him among horses as long as possible. People say he’s never won over six furlongs but I don’t think the trip is an issue — in Hong Kong last year, he was only beaten by the fastest horse in the world [Lord Kanaloa].
“It’s much more about how the race pans out and whether I get the splits at the right moment. He might even be easier to ride over six, because things happen a bit slower.”
Hughes’s other group one this year was achieved at Ascot on Toronado and he may be asked to ride him over a longer distance back on the royal racecourse next month, as connections seek the best alternative to another meeting with the brilliant Kingman.
Hannon said yesterday: “Rather than take on Kingman again, we’re floating the idea of the Champion Stakes. We can’t be sure he will stay ten furlongs but he wasn’t right the only other time we tried. If he did stay, he’d be very interesting.”
When it was pointed out that the first prize of more than £700,000 could just decide the trainers’ title in his favour, Hannon grinned. “I hadn’t thought of that,” he said, unconvincingly.
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Ironically, Hannon was denied a group three victory at Salisbury yesterday by New Providence, a filly in the colours of Chris Humber, one of the original owners of Toronado. It provided a second group victory for the trainer, Hugo Palmer, only five days after his first.
Further good news for Hannon, however, is the retention of the smart juvenile, Kool Kompany, in his Wiltshire yard. The five-times winner failed to reach his lofty reserve at Doncaster sales yesterday and was led out unsold at £730,000 but a private deal was subsequently struck.
“He has been bought by Neil Werrett, who was a co-owner of Black Caviar,” Hannon said. “He’s kindly left him with us and he will be trained for the Middle Park. We also have Ivawood in that but he has a valuable sales race as an alternative.”
The trial of the Irish-based trainer, Philip Fenton, on eight charges of possessing unlicensed animal medicines, has been set for October 23. The prosecution allege that a kilogram of the anabolic steroid, Nitrotain, was found at his stable in Co Tipperary.