Tag Archive for: Richard Hughes

No Half Measures for Hughes and Moore at Newbury

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No Half Measures could make the leap to Group One level in France next month after posting a career-best effort in the Dubai International Airport World Trophy Stakes at Newbury.

Eight went to post for the Group Three affair with the ground having turned heavy due to a thunderstorm on Saturday morning which produced 15 millimetres of rain.

The Richard Hughes-trained No Half Measures made light work of the conditions though, settling in third for Ryan Moore as Democracy Dilemma blazed a trail in the five-furlong contest.

However, his run began to falter in the final furlong with Moore giving the signal on the 6-1 shot, who responded in style to power up the stands side for a one-and-a-quarter-length verdict.

Relief Rally and Annaf also made late bids, with just a nose separating the pair at the line, with Democracy Dilemma a further neck back in fourth.

No Half Measures was a Listed winner at Deauville in August and finished sixth in the Prix du Petit Couvert at ParisLongchamp just six days ago, with the Prix de l’Abbaye on Arc weekend in the French capital a possible option now.

Hughes, who was recording his first Group race winner as a trainer, said: “She was rated 74 in May and just hadn’t stopped improving. She’s not even blowing.

“It’s been some time getting to this and it feels great. She’s in the Abbaye which is why I ran her at Longchamp before, but she would need luck with the draw.

“Our first plan this year was Royal Ascot, where she ran a blinder on ground that was too firm for her. If she keeps improving, anything can happen, that’s what I think.”



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Bradsell back to his flying best at Deauville

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Bradsell showed plenty of his old zest with an impressive return in the Prix du Cercle at Deauville.

Archie Watson’s dual Royal Ascot winner had been off the track for almost a year, with his last run when disappointing in the Curragh’s Flying Five Stakes last September.

With usual pilot Hollie Doyle in the saddle for his reappearance, the son of Tasleet wasted little time getting back to winning ways, racing prominently before storming clear of his challengers in the closing stages.

This victory came down at Listed level, but he is sure to be seen competing against the best of the sprinting crop again soon and Paddy Power went 7-1 from 14s for the Victorious Racing-owned speedball to better last year’s third in York’s Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes.

“I’m so happy and it’s amazing to see him back,” Doyle told Sky Sports Racing.

“I’ve never known a horse as tough as him and all credit to Archie and Mike Murphy who rides him every day and the future is bright isn’t it.

“I was in the stalls longer than I wanted to be today really and he was half asleep, I had to make him jump. Once he got into his stride he has so much natural speed so I just sat on him and held him where he is comfortable and he quickened away nicely.

“He’s had a good blow so I’m sure he will come on for it. He stayed on well and hit the line hard and took a bit of pulling up, which is a really good sign.

“He’s not had a race come as easy as it has being a Listed race, but it will do his confidence the world of good and it’s amazing to see him back. It’s an incredible training performance.”

No Half Measures followed up a handicap victory during Newmarket’s July meeting with a taking success in the Prix Moonlight Cloud.

A race that has been kind to British-trained raiders in recent years, Richard Hughes’ improving filly scored by a length in the hands of Oisin Murphy.

Having scooped Listed honours, the versatile three-year-old could now move to Group Three company in Ireland next, with Hughes eyeing a Prix de l’Abbaye tilt for her final action of the year.

“We’re thrilled and we came over hoping to get some back type and then the closer we got to the race the more we fancied her,” said the Weathercock House handler.

“She’s so uncomplicated, five or six furlongs and she goes on any ground. She’s a wonderful filly to be able to travel and not worry about ground when you get there.

“She keeps improving and we don’t know where the end is. Early in the spring we thought she would be a 75-rated filly and she just keeps on surprising us. We don’t know where her ceiling is.

“I entered her in the Abbaye the other day and that will be her swansong, but I might take her for the Ballyogan Stakes in Ireland which is a Group Three.

“She’s gone up the handicap route and now has won a Listed so I would rather go baby steps (for now). We’ve had a brilliant day.”

On a possible Abbaye tilt later in the year, Hughes added: “She’s won heavy so we wouldn’t have to worry about that and if you got a good draw then she might just have a chance.”



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Hott Shott and Spell Master cannot be split at Goodwood

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Hott Shott and Spell Master shared the honours after the judge was unable to split the pair in the British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes on the final day of the Qatar Goodwood Festival.

A field of 11 runners went to post for the seven-furlong contest and entering the final furlong it looked like the two horses at the top of the market, Ralph Beckett’s 2-1 favourite Consolidation and Andrew Balding’s 4-1 chance Spell Master, would fight out the finish.

However, Rossa Ryan was not far behind the pair in third aboard the Richard Hughes-trained Hott Shott (5-1), who had finished third at Kempton on his only previous start, and he was the one that was finishing best of the trio as the post loomed.

Spell Master got the better of his protracted duel with Consolidation under Oisin Murphy, but was joined on the line by Hott Shott and after checking the photograph, a dead-heat was confirmed.

“It wasn’t easy to watch. I thought he was beat,” said Hughes.

“He stuck his head out and a stride after the line he was a neck in front.

“I was trying to make him into a Chesham horse, but when he walked into the paddock at Kempton, I truly believed that I had gone a month too soon.

“He looked a bit tall and there was a lot of daylight under him, so we’ve given him loads of time since and this has been his target for a long time.

“He’s one of my best (two-year-olds) but that doesn’t mean much. We don’t have that many.

“He’s been a very nice horse from the start, he’s got a great attitude and loves fast ground.”

Trainer Andrew Balding at Goodwood
Trainer Andrew Balding at Goodwood (Zac Goodwin/PA)

Balding, who had saddled three horses to pick up silver medals earlier in the day, added of Spell Master: “I’m relieved he didn’t come second like the others!

“He’s a grand horse who’s improving with every run and should keep progressing. Kamekos are very similar and seem to thrive on their racing and try very hard.”

Witness Stand was a 40-1 winner of the Whispering Angel Handicap for Tom Clover and Kieran Shoemark.

Successful on his racecourse debut at Chester last summer, the Expert Eye gelding had failed to add to his tally since, but had run some sound races in defeat – notably filling the runner-up spot in the Group Three Horris Hill Stakes at Newmarket in November.

Witness Stand was an impressive winner at Goodwood
Witness Stand was an impressive winner at Goodwood (Andrew Matthews/PA)

He kicked off his three-year-old campaign by finishing last of five behind 2000 Guineas and Sussex Stakes hero Notable Speech at Kempton and then chased home Never So Brave at Chester, but a bitterly disappointing run in soft ground at the same venue last time left him with questions to answer.

Back on a sound surface and with cheek pieces applied for the first time, Witness Stand showed his true colours on the Sussex Downs, readily accounting for Piz Nair by three lengths.

Clover said: “He’s been second in three of his last five starts coming into here, so he’s run some very good races behind good horses, and it all worked for him today

“He wasn’t right at Chester last time – there were a few Newmarket horses a bit in and out of form, and he was clearly better than that run.

“He worked well last week and I thought he was a big price today.”

The Coral We’re Here For It Handicap brought the meeting to a close and it was 8-1 shot Paradias who emerged victorious.

Completing a double on the day for Rossa Ryan, Alan King’s 8-1 shot came home strongly to beat 7-4 favourite Native Warrior by a neck.

Ryan said: “It took a fair effort to do that with 10st 2lb, especially after being slowly away.

“If he didn’t run in the John Smith’s Cup when the ground went against him, he’d have been bang up in the market.

“He’s a good, honest character and it was good to see him do that.”



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Richard Hughes targets black type with No Half Measures

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Richard Hughes will step No Half Measures back up in class having watched her return to winning ways at Newmarket on Friday.

The speedy filly won three of her first four races before being upped in grade for the Scurry Stakes at Sandown.

She failed to trouble the judge on that occasion, finishing a two-length fifth to Adaay In Devon, but she bounced back to outrun her 50-1 odds in the Palace of Holyroodhouse at Royal Ascot, finishing third behind Pilgrim.

At Newmarket on Friday she looked a cut above her opposition when scooting clear and Hughes is happy to look up in grade in search of black type.

No Half Measures left her rivals for dead at Newmarket
No Half Measures left her rivals for dead at Newmarket (David Davies/PA)

“She’s improving with every race but that was nice because she had a hard enough race at Ascot and you are always taking a bit of a chance running at both meetings,” he said.

“But, she’s improving at an unusually strong rate of knots which is nice, she’s unbelievable.

“She’s getting quicker and stronger. As she’s strengthening up she’s getting quicker with it, she’s got oodles of speed.

“We had a little dip into black type company at Sandown and it just didn’t work on the day for some reason but then she went to Ascot and ran huge, so we’ll have another dip now!”



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Fair Angellica has Goodwood’s Oak Tree Stakes on her agenda

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Richard Hughes will target Group Three success at Glorious Goodwood following Fair Angellica’s Listed victory in France.

The three-year-old daughter of Harry Angel disappointed at Royal Ascot when she came home tailed off in the Sandringham Stakes to confirm Hughes’ fears that a mile might have been too much of an ask for her.

But she bounced back in the best possible fashion as she dropped back to seven furlongs at Deauville in the Prix Amandine, where she took charge between the final two furlongs and kept on strongly to win by one and three-quarter lengths in the hands of Ryan Moore.

And now Hughes will point his charge at the Oak Tree Stakes in Sussex at the end of the month.

The trainer said: “We were delighted (at Deauville). We went over searching for black type.

“We’ve always really liked her. We thought through the winter that she’d win the race in Ascot.

“When she won in Kempton, her prep race, I had a sneaky suspicion then that she might not stay, with the turn of foot that she showed.

“So, she didn’t stay at Ascot and we went to Deauville on a recovery mission trying to get black type and she won well.

“Ryan gave her a really positive ride and she ran well and we’ll go for the Oak Tree next.

“She’s come out of the race really well. She’s a fine, big, tough mare. It was more important to get the black type than a handicap for the owner-breeder.”

bet365 Craven Meeting – Day One – Newmarket Racecourse
Trainer Richard Hughes (Bradley Collyer/PA).

Bracken’s Laugh was caught out by the ground in the Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot and Hughes will give him a short break before targeting a return at Haydock.

Hughes added: “He will have a little break after Ascot. The ground was too quick for him. Maybe the Rose of Lancaster up in Haydock. There will be a chance of getting the ground up there.”

No Half Measures won a trio of races at Lingfield, Wolverhampton and Goodwood earlier in the season before running a big race at the Royal meeting to finish third in the Palace of Holyrood House Stakes at 50-1.

The daughter of Cable Bay will take her place in the Blake-Turner Solicitors Handicap at Newmarket on Friday and Hughes is hopeful she can get back to winning ways.

He said: “She ran a blinder (at Ascot) from a very poor draw. Ran a brilliant race, so she has a great chance there on Friday.”



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Shouldvebeenaring claims overdue victory at Deauville

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Shouldvebeenaring ended a 12-race win drought when swooping late in the Group Three Prix de Ris-Orangis at Deauville.

Richard Hannon’s sprinter has run some big races in defeat in that time, most notably when placed in Group One company in the Haydock Sprint Cup and Prix de la Foret at the end of last season.

He went close at York in May but had been well beaten in his last two races at the Curragh and Royal Ascot.

However, the four-year-old travelled sweetly in the hands of Sean Levey and finished off powerfully in a race dominated by the British-trained runners.

James Tate’s Electric Storm appeared to have made a race-winning move under Ryan Moore but Levey came up on the opposite side of the track to win by a head, with a neck back to Archie Watson’s Shartash.

Levey said: “It went very well for him. He’s had some funny ones this year. I think his perfect conditions are this trip on a flat track on fast ground and when he doesn’t get what he likes, he can throw in a bad run.

“You could see on his run at York, six furlongs on a flat track, he ran a good race, but then a stiff track at Ascot, he didn’t raise a gallop. When he turns up, he can be quite good.

“He’s always been a laid-back customer and he didn’t miss a dance last year, with every run he went up a couple of kilos, he’s always been a good doer. He’s maybe older and wiser now too.

“He travelled extremely well today and never looked like losing. He’s been here twice and run really well twice, so I imagine the Prix Maurice de Gheest will be on the agenda.”

Fair Angellica (right) won at Newmarket last season
Fair Angellica (right) won at Newmarket last season (Tim Goode/PA)

Moore may have been out of luck on Electric Storm but he teamed up with Richard Hughes to win the Listed Prix Amandine on Fair Angellica.

The giant filly disappointed in the Sandringham Stakes at Royal Ascot but regained the winning thread in fine style.

Moore tracked Owen Burrows’ Miaharris until two furlongs from home, when he ranged up alongside and made his bid for glory.

Fair Angellica immediately took two lengths out of the field and had no trouble maintaining a clear advantage to the line, winning by a length and three-quarters.

Miaharris just lost out in a photo for third.

“I’m over the moon. We came here for a bit of black type and if she won, it was going to be a bonus,” Hughes told Sky Sports Racing.

“She’s won really well at Kempton prior to Ascot but I was very concerned about the mile at Ascot. It had been the plan, but she didn’t stay.

“Seven furlongs is perfect, Ryan said she could come back to six, certainly on slower ground anyway, but she’s a very nice filly and has done nothing but please us since she came to the yard.

“I believe there’s more to come, she’s over 500 kilos, she’s more grown up now than she’s ever been, the fact she was able to travel over here and put up a performance like that proves it.

“I’ve an eye on the Oak Tree (at Goodwood) but we’ll see.”



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Hughes looking to have last Laugh in Hampton Court

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Richard Hughes has carefully formulated a route to Royal Ascot for Bracken’s Laugh and is eager to see if his grand plan can come to fruition when the talented colt lines up in the Hampton Court Stakes later this month.

The Weathercock House handler has always held the son of Zoffany in high regard, so much so that he was sent straight to the often hotly-contested Haynes, Hanson & Clark Novice Stakes at Newbury for his juvenile debut, where he duly won.

An immediate step up to Group One company followed and although Bracken’s Laugh fell short of the mark in the season-ending Criterium de Saint-Cloud, he made a victorious return at Chelmsford when accounting for a field that included Sandy Lane runner-up Orne and Aidan O’Brien’s Hong Kong-bound Capulet.

The latter would gain his revenge in Chester’s Dee Stakes, where Bracken’s Laugh had to settle for second, but Hughes was unperturbed by that result and is looking forward to a race he feels could be one of the strongest of the week – and one in which his runner could meet another familiar face.

“He’s going for the Hampton Court and it’s going to be one of the races of the week, I think,” said Hughes.

“Harry Charlton will run his horse (King’s Gambit), who we beat last year but we were getting 6lb. He won very well in the London Gold Cup off 93, but I would imagine my horse would have done similar if going there off 93.

“Bracken’s Laugh has done nothing wrong all year and this has always been the plan. He’s had two lovely prep races and goes there in great form.”

Trainer Richard Hughes is seeking his first Royal Ascot winner as a trainer
Trainer Richard Hughes is seeking his first Royal Ascot winner as a trainer (Bradley Collyer/PA)

Hughes rode 31 winners at Royal Ascot over the course of his career in the saddle, but is still waiting to break his duck in the training ranks.

However, he feels he has his strongest squad of horses yet to go to war with over the five days of the Royal meeting and, as well as Bracken’s Laugh holding leading claims in the Hampton Court, has high hopes for some of his other runners at the meeting.

“I have eight runners and I think four or five of them will have live chances,” continued Hughes.

“The horse who ran in the Derby, Kamboo, he’s going to run in the mile and a half handicap, the King George V Stakes.

“Palace Green runs in the Golden Gates, he’s a mile and a quarter horse and didn’t stay over a mile and a half in York.

“There’s also a little filly called No Half Measures running in the three-year-old sprint, she’s won her last three. I also have Real Gain for the Hunt Cup and a nice filly for the Sandringham called Fair Angellica.”

He went on: “I think they go there with a great chance and some will be quite short in the betting, so hopefully one of them will deliver.

“I’m under no illusions though how hard it is and I always used to think when I was riding that if I thought they were certainties, then that gave them a little chance.”



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Aviation Time ready to take off in Hilary Needler

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Aviation Time has the chance to play herself on to Richard Hughes’ Royal Ascot teamsheet when she takes flight in the Hilary Needler Trophy EBF Fillies’ Conditions Stakes at Beverley.

One of the highlights of the year on the Westwood, the race eluded Hughes during his time in the weighing room but he could have the ideal candidate to get on the roll of honour as a trainer.

Aviation Time made the perfect start to her on-track career at Kempton, keeping on well to strike over six furlongs.

Unsure if she has what it takes to land a blow in the Queen Mary Stakes at the Royal meeting, her trainer is keen to use this as a stepping stone to test the waters ahead of future assignments.

Hughes said: “She’s done nothing wrong so far and I think she has improved since her run at Kempton, which will give her a bit of a chance.

“She’s drawn 10 which isn’t ideal, but I have a very good jockey on board (James Doyle) and hopefully she will overcome that.

“She was a slow burner really and we weren’t thinking she would run that well first time out, but she went and won really well. She’s definitely improved since then and is a nice filly.

“I didn’t think she was a Queen Mary winner and this was the other option, but if she was to run well or win this, then maybe we can have a think about backing her up again at Ascot. It’s a nice stepping stone for her.”

Aviation Time is owned by Steve Parkin’s Bronte Collection syndicates, with Karl Burke’s Windsor scorer Storm Call another to sport their colours.

Trainer Karl Burke (right) will saddle two in the Hilary Needler
Trainer Karl Burke (right) will saddle two in the Hilary Needler (Steven Paston for the Jockey Club/PA)

Spigot Lodge handler Burke is also responsible for the Nick Bradley Racing-owned Invincible Annice, who like Storm Call, heads to the Westwood on the back of victory.

Invincible Annice was beaten by Adrian Keatley’s Chantilly hero Francisco’s Piece on debut before proving successful in a seller only seven days ago and is highly rated by her team ahead of this attempt in deeper company.

“We nearly went for the Listed race in France that Francisco’s Piece won and if he had not have gone to France, we probably would have,” explained Nick Bradley.

“I didn’t really want to run her in the seller but it was a good opportunity to win £10,000. We had to pay £4,000 to buy her back and still won £6,500 so it was nice enough and I think she will have a good chance at Beverley.”

Adrian Nicholls is another former jockey who never got his hands on this prize while riding, but would be a popular winner if his Maw Lam could follow up her taking Thirsk debut.

Maw Lam was three-quarters of a length ahead of George Scott’s Mademoiselle on that occasion and the Newmarket-based handler is looking forward to the rematch with his improving Amo Racing-owned filly.

“It’s really good prize-money this close to Ascot and therefore it is appealing for a filly like ours, who looks to be on the improve but so far has not shown enough quality to go to the Royal meeting,” said Scott.

“We were really hoping to take on the horse that beat us from a better draw and I’m disappointed to be drawn so wide in stall 12 which is going to make things difficult.

“But she seems to be improving, I think she will like the track – a stiff five should be right up her street.

“I think the winner of this will definitely earn a ticket to Royal Ascot, whether that is ourselves or someone else. If we are three or four lengths out of it then so be it, but at this stage we felt this was the more sensible option than going straight to Ascot.”

Tom Clover’s Over Spiced and Michael Dods’ Brazilian Belle are others in the line-up arriving with a victory last time to their name as a total of 15 fillies head to post.



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Bracken’s Laugh romps home in impressive Chelmsford strike

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Bracken’s Laugh looks a colt bound for bigger and better things judged on a decisive victory in the Woodford Reserve Cardinal Conditions Stakes at Chelmsford.

A field of eight three-year-olds went to post for this one-mile contest, with Aidan O’Brien’s Royal Lodge Stakes third Capulet all the rage as the 8-13 favourite.

The Karl Burke-trained Cuban Tiger and John and Thady Gosden’s Orne, first and third in last week’s Listed Burradon Stakes on Good Friday, added further intrigue, but it was 9-1 shot Bracken’s Laugh who emerged much the best in the hands of Finley Marsh.

A winner on his Newbury debut in September before finishing fifth in the Group One Criterium de Saint-Cloud the following month, the Zoffany colt travelled nicely in the middle of the pack on this seasonal reappearance before quickening smartly in the straight to claim a two-and-three-quarter-length victory.

The front-running Orne boxed on for second, with Capulet a shade disappointing in third.

“I don’t think I’ve had many Group One runners, but he won last year in the Haynes, Hanson And Clark and I thought I’d give him a go in the Group One in France,” Hughes told Racing TV.

“As it turned out, we ended up on the wrong side of the track and the ground was very heavy and he just didn’t get home, but we felt he could be a Group One horse then, so this year starting off it was very important he didn’t have too hard a race first up and we’d learn a lot from it.

“I was really excited by the way he travelled. This horse would gallop with anything at home and I feel he’s a mile and a quarter horse and maybe not quite a mile and a half horse with the speed he shows at home.

“So, I was really looking forward to seeing him run over a mile to see how he’d travel on a better surface and he travelled immensely well and quickened up really good.

“I made a decision two months ago I would come here first, you just don’t have to get them quite as fit for the all-weather as you do for soft ground on the grass. I thought this would be a nice introduction and if he was placed today, I would have been happy as a stepping-stone towards Chester.

“I don’t feel he’s a Guineas horse or a Derby horse, so I’d like to go quietly, run in the Dee Stakes and then on to a Group Three at Royal Ascot over a mile and a quarter.

“I have a month until Chester and then I have another month until Royal Ascot, so the plan looks good at the moment and I hope we can pull it off.”



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Hughes mapping out Classic trial plans for star fillies

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Promising fillies Queen Of Zafeen and Star Music will put their Classic credentials to the test next month, with Richard Hughes confident he has some smart operators to unleash during the 2024 season.

Both fillies are owned by Jaber Abdullah and hold entries in the Qipco 1000 Guineas, but the Weathercock House handler may look outside of Newmarket depending on how the duo perform in their respective trials.

Queen Of Zafeen was last seen being narrowly denied in Lingfield’s Spring Cup and after a rapid rise through the ranks, she will tackle Newmarket’s Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes before connections consider whether to challenge for a version of the Guineas home or abroad.

Queen of Zafeen (right) in action at Lingfield
Queen Of Zafeen (right) in action at Lingfield (John Walton/PA)

“It was a shame she didn’t go and win the Spring Cup and she was only beat on the line, but I suppose two colts were beside her,” said Hughes.

“I’m probably going to run her in the Nell Gwyn because she has no experience on grass and it has all happened a bit quick for her really.

“She will have had a nice break from the Spring Cup to the Nell Gwyn and I’m kind of thinking the German 1000 Guineas rather than the English Guineas, but we will let her do the talking first.”

Star Music will also be in action that week with the Oh So Sharp Stakes third set for action in the Dubai Duty Free Stakes – better known as the Fred Darling – at Newbury on April 20.

Star Music (centre) finishing third in Newmarket's Oh So Sharp Stakes
Star Music (centre) finishing third in Newmarket’s Oh So Sharp Stakes (Nigel French/PA)

The form of her placed effort behind Dance Sequence and Skellet has already been franked by the fourth Chic Colombine this year and with connections of that rival hinting at a French 1000 Guineas bid, the daughter of Zoustar may end up joining George Boughey’s filly in the starting stalls at ParisLongchamp.

“She will go for the Fred Darling and a theory I have, which might be wrong, is that Zoustars prefer a really flat track,” continued Hughes.

“They are a bit like Exceed And Excels and just seem to act better when it is really flat.

“She was particularly impressive when she won at Kempton but I just feel Newmarket might not be her track, even though she ran a blinder in the Oh So Sharp. I might think of Longchamp for her if she runs well in her trial.”

Hughes is also holding plenty of hope for Derby entrant Kamboo, who is set for an early season appearance in the bet365 Feilden Stakes at Newmarket, while the former champion jockey turned trainer feels he is entering the season with some real talent at his disposal.

“Kamboo is one for the Feilden and is showing up well at home,” added Hughes.

“It’s all a bit undecided at the moment but it’s the first time I’ve had a handful of Group horses in my yard.

“Normally we have one that is a hopeful, but this time I’m pretty confident I have four or five to go to war with, which is pretty good for a small-enough string.

“I’m a bit of a realist and Lizzie (Hughes, wife) says I’m negative at times. It’s just this year I know I have nice horses to go to war with, so it’s been a little bit different in the spring.

“Now they are running so well it is a bonus – everything we seem to be running at the moment is winning or going close, so it’s going really well.”



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Knebworth puts up winning performance at Doncaster

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It was a case of mission accomplished for Knebworth who stuck his head out in game fashion to achieve trainer Richard Hughes’ early-season objective.

The four-year-old was sent off a 6-1 chance for the William Hill NRMB On The Grand National Handicap and was always prominent in the hands of young apprentice Ethan Jones.

The 9-2 favourite Aleezdancer and most notably Woven laid down a stern challenge at the business end of the six-furlong event, but Jones was strong and had a willing partner when he needed him to prevail by a short head from Woven.

Hughes said: “It was a great run and that has been the plan. I gave him a prep on the all-weather to knock the cobwebs off as you can find with sprinters they can be quite fresh after they’ve had a break.

“I wanted to get that freshness off before he went running on soft ground up there and it was an ideal spot for him.

“Ethan claiming the 7lb certainly helps and it was a lovely win. Ethan is doing most things right at the moment, he’s listening and riding well.”

On future plans, Hughes added: “That was our first target and there might be a race back on the all-weather for him Easter weekend as he’s quite good on the all-weather.

“That might be one of the last highly-rated all-weather races because when the summer comes, it’s hard to get a highly-rated all-weather race. He’ll either go there or I’ll wait for another turf race where there is some moisture in the ground.”

The William Hill Epic Boost Novice Stakes has been won by the likes of Maljoom and Fox Champion in the past and produced another likeable winner in the shape of Eve Johnson Houghton’s Balmacara.

Balmacara (left) showed a great attitude to win
Balmacara (left) showed a great attitude to win (Nigel French/PA)

Third on debut behind a subsequent Listed winner and the highly-regarded Kikkuli, the son of New Bay relished the cut under foot to get off the mark at the second attempt at odds of 5-2.

“I’m absolutely thrilled with him and he probably enjoys a bit of juice in the ground, he hits the ground quite hard so I was always keen to get him out early,” said Johnson Houghton.

“He probably wants further and is just a really nice, likeable horse. He definitely wanted soft ground last year but now he’s maturing he might be able to handle better ground better – but he wouldn’t want it very firm.

“It’s our first runner on turf and he wins, so it’s great for all the team and gives us a boost.”

King Of Spain provided a sentimental victory for Gemma Tutty in the Harrison College Your Future Your Choice Handicap as she continued her fine weekend on Town Moor.

King Of Spain ran out a comfortable winner of a 10-furlong event
King Of Spain ran out a comfortable winner of a 10-furlong event (Nigel French/PA)

Tutty saddled Look Back Smiling to win the Spring Mile at the South Yorkshire track on Saturday and she was in the winner’s enclosure again with a half-brother to former stable standard-bearer Mostly Cloudy, with the three-year-old King Of Spain making an impressive turf debut to follow up a recent success on the all-weather.

“He’s a half-brother to Mostly Cloudy who was our star during our first season so he has a lot of sentimental value anyway, but to see him keep progressing is really satisfying.

“We bought him as a yearling and the owners have been really patient. We were really keen to get him on soft ground and up in trip. I knew he would come on from his last run because he felt amazing at home, but I wasn’t expecting him to put the race to bed quite as impressively as he did.

“Looking at his knee action, he was always going to appreciate a bit of juice in the ground, but he has taken a big step forward today.

“I’m really thrilled and most of the owners of Mostly Cloudy have reinvested and it’s wonderful to pay them back for keeping the faith in me. The weekend couldn’t have gone much better really.”

The afternoon was kicked off by husband-and-wife team of Archie Watson and Brodie Hampson combining with Throne Hall (13-2) to win the William Hill Epic Value Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap, while Qitaal (14-1) returned from over 600 days off the track to make a blistering debut for Charlie Johnston in the 10-furlong Injured Jockeys Fund Handicap.



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Bracken’s Laugh taking Group One challenge for Hughes at Saint-Cloud

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Bracken’s Laugh could give Richard Hughes plenty to dream about over the winter when he runs in the Criterium de Saint-Cloud on Sunday.

The Zoffany colt made an immediate impression when debuting at Newbury in the Haynes, Hanson & Clark Novice Stakes, moving through the race stylishly before keeping on past some experienced rivals.

He is now both upped in trip and class as he heads to France for a Group One contest his trainer knows plenty about, having won the race as a jockey aboard Sir Henry Cecil’s Passage Of Time.

“He’s a lovely horse and we think a lot of him,” said Hughes.

“It’s a big ask going into such a race on just your second start, but that’s why I ran him in a winner’s race at Newbury.

“He needed to run in a proper race to prove himself and I feel he did that on the day, he made up a two or three lengths on a couple of winners and won well at the line and he proved he goes on the heavy ground.”

Owned by Bernardine and Sean Mulryan, Bracken’s Laugh cost connections 200,000 guineas earlier in the year and Hughes feels he has a horse of huge potential under his care as he prepares to ask a stern question of his exciting young prospect.

He added: “When you spend 200,000 on a horse you hope you are buying a superstar and I stuck my neck on the line for this fella. He’s a huge horse and he did a very good breeze back in May when he shouldn’t have been able.

“He’s got an abundance of pace and he’s bred to stay a minimum of a mile and a half – he’s a three-parts brother to Getaway.

“I feel I have ticked all the boxes other than having only run once, but then Aidan O’Brien’s horses have only run once as well. There’s only seven runners so it’s not a big field and we have a lovely draw and I’m really looking forward to watching this horse run.”

Joseph O’Brien’s Islandsinthestream finished second to Henry Longfellow in the Vincent O’Brien National Stakes before scoring at Longchamp last time, while there is an American feel to Aidan O’Brien’s two runners as he saddles both Illinois and Los Angeles.

The former will be ridden for the first time by Ryan Moore, with Seamie Heffernan doing the steering when making a taking debut at the Curragh earlier this month.

Moore told Betfair: “I wasn’t on Illinois when he won at the Curragh on his debut, but everyone seemed very impressed by him. And understandably so. That came over nine furlongs in soft ground, so you’d have to think this test will suit him.

“He is another exciting middle-distance prospect for next season and let’s hope he keeps his unbeaten tag in place, going in over the winter.”

Meanwhile Los Angeles was equally impressive, earning himself quotes for next year’s Classics when a convincing winner at Tipperary first time out.

“He was also dominant when winning over nine furlongs on his debut at Tipperary,” continued Moore.

“This Camelot colt obviously has great potential, and a win for either of ours would not surprise me, for all Islandsinthestream and Shiffrin probably set the standard.”

Nicolas Le Roch’s Shiffrin heads the French assault having won Chantilly’s Prix de Conde last month, while the unbeaten Casapueblo and Christopher Head’s Ramadan will also head to post for a competitive affair.

The Champagne Stakes form will be put to the test once again in the other Group One on the card, the Criterium International, where David Menuisier’s Sunway attempts to go one better than his Doncaster second.

Richard Hannon’s Rosallion has already boosted that race when claiming the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere on Arc weekend and now Sunway gets his shot at a top-level prize.

“I think he earned his berth in the race when he ran so well in the Champagne Stakes,” said Menuisier.

“He beat the winner of the Lagardere that day, albeit on different ground conditions obviously.”

Chief among the opposition is Andre Fabre’s Alcantor who has won three of his four starts and is a horse Menuisier already knows plenty about.

As well as accounting for French-based rivals Saganti (Mikel Delzangles) and Havana Cigar (Jean-Claude Rouget) when impressing at Saint-Cloud last time, he also had Menuisier’s Devil’s Point held back in fourth and the British-based Frenchman is respectful of the opposition lying in wait for Sunway.

He added: “It’s the form line of the Prix Thomas Bryon at Saint-Cloud when we finished fourth with Devil’s Point and Andre Fabre’s horse looks really good.

“We respect the opposition but the horse is really well and I’m counting on him for a big run.”

Navy Seal and Portland will represent Ballydoyle, with Patrice Cottier’s Grey Man completing the line-up.



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Goodwood next for Plate star Calling The Wind

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Northumberland Plate hero Calling The Wind will head to the Sussex Downs on Friday for the £75,000 Coral Goodwood Handicap ahead of a potential Ebor tilt.

Richard Hughes has identified Goodwood’s two-and-a-half-mile contest – which he won two years ago – as a springboard to York as he bids to follow up success in the Pitmen’s Derby.

Calling The Wind gained just reward at Newcastle following near-misses in the Cesarewitch, Queen Alexandra (twice) and the Ascot Stakes, handing the former jockey his biggest success to date as a trainer.

Hughes was not present at Gosforth Park to see Neil Callan produce a superbly-timed ride on the all-too-often luckless seven-year-old, but watched on from home with delight.

“Neil gave him a good ride. I was watching him on my phone and he got to the furlong pole and I thought, ‘he’s run great again, but he’s always placed and never wins’,” said the three-times champion jockey.

“You need to ride him to get beat – and he put it in at the death.”

Six wins and eight runner-up finishes in 35 races have contributed to earnings of £262,000 for owner Jo Wakefield, and Hughes is keen to target the £300,000 to the winner Sky Bet Ebor next month, where victory would earn automatic entry to the Melbourne Cup.

“He is going to end up in the Ebor, but we are going to go to Goodwood if the ground is good,” added Hughes.

“He has 9st 5lb in the Ebor and if he won at Goodwood, he’d get a small penalty. We can’t give up Goodwood then the ground be fast at York.

“There’s plenty of money up for grabs and the timing between Goodwood and York is great. It’s perfect.

“He is in great form and it looks like the ground will be in his favour.”



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Calling The Wind hits the jackpot in Northumberland Plate

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Calling The Wind finally got his moment in the spotlight when swooping to take the JenningsBet Northumberland Plate glory at Newcastle.

Richard Hughes’ consistent seven-year-old has been an ever-present in staying contests – but the big prizes had proved elusive, placing at Royal Ascot for the third year in a row when second in the Ascot Stakes most recently.

Ridden by Neil Callan in the Gosforth Park feature, the in-form rider had his mount travelling kindly in midfield early on and the 14-1 shot showed he was none the worse for his Royal meeting exertions only 11 days ago when picking his way to the front with a furlong to run.

He was quickly joined at the head of affairs by ante-post gamble Golden Rules, but the Calling The Wind always had enough in reserve to hold off the 9-2 joint-favourite, coming home half a length clear to secure the victory connections have craved in a breezy north east.

Hughes immediately outlined another big handicap prize as the next target.

Speaking from home, said: “I’m gutted I’m not there, to be honest! We’re so busy at home and I probably wouldn’t have been much use there.

“He ran really well at Ascot and he’s been so unlucky in some of his races. That mare that beat him at Ascot improved 10lb for being in foal. He always runs his race.

“He’s a grand horse and you’d love to have a yard full of ones like him.

“We’re now going to have a shot at the Ebor.”

A jubilant Neil Callan
A jubilant Neil Callan (Tim Goode/PA)

Callan – who won the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot with Triple Time – said: “Fair play to Richard. It’s a shame he’s not here as it’s a big win for him and his team.

“I spoke to him this morning and he said ‘no instructions, do what you want, but if you’re going well two down I’d rather you kept him on the bridle’, and I think that was crucial.

“When I took him back I think it was probably a winning move because if I’d sent him on I think I might have got beaten.

“He ran a great race at Ascot and he obviously came out of it bucking and kicking. He travelled round beautifully and at the top of the straight I was very confident he was going to run a big race.

“It’s a team effort, I was only on his back for two minutes.”

Gareth Cheshire, the owner of Golden Rules, became a social media star in the days leading up to the race following a bullish television interview.

Having flown back from a holiday in Ibiza especially for the race, Cheshire did not quite get the result he predicted and hoped for, but he was proud of his six-year-old’s performance in defeat nonetheless.

“I’m a little bit gutted, but I’m over the moon to come here and run in this race,” he said.

“So near yet so far and the story goes on – stay tuned!

“According to my children I’ve been poked 250,000 times on Facebook or whatever it’s called!

“We haven’t got egg on our face, we were fully justified in coming here and he’s run a blinder.

“We flew back from Ibiza last night and it’s cost me quite a few bikinis and a handbag with the wife!”

Tom Faulkner, the son of Golden Rules’ trainer Deborah, said: “The first thing Oisin (Murphy) said when he got off the horse was he was unlucky in running.

“A horse has come alongside him and he’s had to check him twice. Take nothing away from the winner – it’s a 19-runner handicap and you need luck.

“He’s come here and proved he’s a nice horse. Let’s get him home and see what he’s like. I don’t have any firm plans, but I’ve got my eye on London Series Final (at Kempton) and there’s the All-Weather Championships back here on Good Friday.”



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