Richard Hughes

39 year old, RICHARD HUGHES, has always had a fine reputation as a jockey and as a person. Richard is a deep thinker who recently had his book, A Weight Off My Mind, published in which he gave a very frank and open look at his life. That he has been able to overcome, in amazing fashion, the troubles’ that beset him early on in his career is a testament to both his character and the determination he has shown in reaching the top of his profession. At 5ft 10ins Richard must be one of the tallest jockeys in racing, anywhere in the world. Lester Piggott is one of his role models but he says Lester’s height had nothing to do with his admiration for the man. Recently, at Windsor on the 15^th of October Richard achieved the phenomenal feat of riding 7 winners in a day. This equalled the record of the great Frankie Dettori. Richard will again be captaining the International Jockey’s team which will be riding in Turffontein and Clairwood this weekend. Richard was the hugely popular captain of his team last year and is delighted to be back to defend the challenge which they won last year.

What is your name and age? Richard Hughes and I am 39 years old.

What is your star sign and birthdate? Capricorn, born 11 January 1973.

Where were you born? Dublin, Ireland.

Where do you live?  Collingbourne Ducis, Marlborough, Wiltshire, UK.

Tell us about your family? I am married to Lizzie, one of triplets and the daughter of trainer Richard Hannon.  I have two children, Harvey, aged 4, and Phoebe aged 2.  My father is NH trainer Dessie, my mother is Eileen and I have a sister, Sandra.

Do you have a ‘nickname’? Rozer Hughes.

Favourite book?  A Weight off My Mind.

What are you currently reading?  AA The Big Book.

Favourite movie? Con Air.

Favourite food?  Curry.

Favourite drink? Coke.

Favourite music? Anything.

Favourite sport? Golf.

Are you interested in soccer, if so, which is your favourite soccer team? Yes, Manchester United.

Favourite holiday destination? Barbados.

Do you have a role model and if so, who?  Lester Piggott – he had nerves of steel.

Who is the person you would most like to meet?  Golfer, Jack Nicklaus.

What is the quality you like most about yourself? I’m kind.

Your father is Dessie Hughes who is a prominent jumps trainer. Despite the fact that you were probably quite tall as a youngster was your family always keen for you to be a jockey?  Yes, dad has been a great support but he always encouraged me to stay in flat racing whatever it took.

It is said that Lester Piggott influenced you to be a jockey. How were you involved with Lester Piggott and what did he say to you to persuade you to become a jockey?  He didn’t influence me but he was always my idol and I just wanted to follow in his footsteps.

Did the fact that Piggott is also very tall, you are 5ft 10ins, have anything to do with you becoming a jockey? No.

Where did you serve your apprenticeship and who were the trainers you were most involved with?  My father.

Were you always the most promising of the apprentices of your time? I was awarded the most improved apprentice of the year in Ireland but had stiff competition from Johnny Murtagh.

Which were some of the best horses you rode, either in work or in races, whilst still an apprentice?  Mr Brooks.  I told his trainer that he was the fastest horse I’d ever sat on and he ran him in the Derby!  He then went on to win the July Cup.

How many winners did you ride as an apprentice? 70.

What was your best moment as an apprentice?  Beating Lester Piggot at the Curragh.

Where did you ride as an apprentice? Ireland.

Who did you ride for on getting your jockey’s licence?  My father.

How quickly did you achieve your first major success as a jockey?  I got my licence in March 1988 and it took until August to ride a winner.

You started your career in Ireland but limited opportunities caused you to move to England in the mid 1990’s. You teamed up with Richard Hannon. Was this planned from the beginning or did it happen by chance? I spoke to him at the Irish Derby meeting in 1994 and asked him if I could come over to him. He said yes, to keep my head down and he would give me some rides.

In 1997 you won the Irish Champion Hurdle on Cockney Lad. Were you taking part in jump races at the same time as you were riding in flat races? Yes, in the winter months.

Which were Hannon’s best horses at that time? Daunting Lady, on whom I won the Fred Darling, and Reel Buddy.

Richard Hannon is your father-in-law. Were you involved with his daughter, Lizzie, when you started riding for the stable or did you meet her once you were riding for the stable? I had been riding out for 3-4 months when I met her one morning.

As a jockey what are your impressions of Frankel?  He’s brilliant.  The best horse I’ve ever seen.

You are known to have great respect for Oasis Dream, you won the 2003 Darley July Cup on him, and Persian Punch. Which other horses do you remember who have made an impression on you? Canford Cliffs – he was the best miler I’ve ever ridden. Nebraska Tornado – she was the best filly I’ve ever ridden. Paco Boy – the toughest horse I’ve ever ridden.

You rode 30 jump winners. Is it possible to say which gave you the most pleasure-riding in jump races or racing on the flat?  Jumping has always been in my blood but, from the age of 5, I always wanted to be a flat jockey.

Since 2004 you have never been out of the top 6 in the Jockey’s Championship. Has it been a burning ambition of yours to win the Championship? It wasn’t until I finished 2^nd to Paul Hanagan. Then I got a taste for it and was determined to be champion one day.

After taking an unassailable  lead in the Championship, you did the great feat of winning 7 races on a day at Windsor. Do you think the release from pressure allowed you to relax and ride better than ever?  No, I like to think that I ride the same every day. I feel I am as good in a class 6 race in India as I am in a Group 1 race in the UK.  I ride every horse to win and if a jockey thought any different, he shouldn’t be riding.

When did you begin to think that you could equal Frankie Dettori’s 7 wins?  It wasn’t until after the last race that I realized what I’d done.  Frankie’s record never crossed my mind during the day as I was just concentrating on each race.

When did Ryan Moore come to you to say that he was prepared to give up his ride on Mama Quilla in the last race to give you the chance to equal that great record? After the 5^th race.

What were your thoughts as you passed the post and realized you had equalled a great record? I didn’t think about the fact that I had equalled Frankie’s record until the press mentioned it when I came in.

How did your fellow jockey’s react to your great feat?  They rallied behind me.  Even before the feat was done, they were urging me to do it.

In the ‘good old bad old days’ you would have probably gone out for a real party. How did you celebrate this achievement?  I still went out and had a party but it didn’t involve drink!

Bookmakers have said that that your winning run cost them millions of pounds. Do you personally know of anyone who had a really big win on you? Yes, one of my good friends who always backs me won £60,000!

Your wins came on Pivotal Moment, East Texas Red, Embankment, Magic Secret, Links Drive Lady, Duke Of Clarence and Mama Quilla. Which of these did you expect to win before the event?  I thought Pivotal Moment, East Texas Red and Duke of Clarence would be hard to beat.

What does a race day entail for Richard Hughes?  Lose weight in the morning, drive to the races, win as many as I can and then drive home.

When you have a non-race day how do you spend it? I usually play golf.

Which jockeys, do you find, are the toughest to compete against?  Johnny Murtagh and Ryan Moore are very hard to beat any day of the week but there’s a host of good jockeys in the UK at the moment and you have to earn every winner.

How many Group 1 races have you won? To date I have had 29 Group 1 winners.

How many races have you won in your career? I have had 1983 flat winners in Britain and 188 in Ireland.

Which do you rate as the very best racehorse you have won on?  Canford Cliffs.

Which is your favourite racecourse in the world that you have ridden on? Ascot.

You came to South Africa last year for the International jockey’s championship. How much did you enjoy riding in SA and what were your impressions of the country? I very much enjoyed riding there and it was a very good track.  The people are very friendly and as a nation they love their racing.

You will be coming back to SA this weekend and this time you will be riding in Durban. Is this a big ‘thing’ for you and the other international jockeys? Yes, we are looking forward to being competitive and holding on to our title.

From what you have seen and experienced do you think racing is ‘straight’? Yes.

The saying is “Behind every successful man is an equally successful woman”. Does this apply to Richard Hughes?  Most definitely so. I am a lucky man.