First! Richard Hughes drives the grey Sky Lantern up to win well
Richard Hughes’ dominance continued at Newmarket on Sunday where he landed the Qipco 1000 Guineas on Sky Lantern and he is now 1-2 with Paddy Power to retain the jockeys’ championship.
The Irishman won the title for the first time last year and leads the way this season with 41 winners and a whopping £733,000 in prize money after securing his first ever British Classic on the Richard Hannon trained Sky Lantern.
The daughter of Red Clubs battled well in the closing stages to prevail by half a length, the victory making amends for an often frustrating two-year-old season that included a luckless run in the 2012 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita.
“Today was great. It was about time but I believed in this filly and she came good,” the delighted Hughes said.
“She is a very good filly and loves this fast ground. This is thoroughly deserved and I should have won on her in the Breeders’ Cup race in America.
“But she was tough today and stuck her head out at the line.”
Assistant trainer Richard Hannon junior added: “She deserves a bit of luck this filly. She went to America and didn’t get any luck. We are absolutely delighted.
“I am delighted for Richard, he deserves it. He is one of the best jockeys ever and I am just glad that he is one of ours.”
Elsewhere, three-time jockey Frankie Dettori is reported to have been riding out for Aidan O’Brien in Ireland as the jockey prepares to make his comeback to race-riding on May 20 after a six month ban.
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