Brian Hughes notches 2,000th winner at Perth

Brian Hughes joined an illustrious list of jockeys to ride 2,000 winners over jumps when landing a double at Perth.

Champion jockey three times, he won the opening Visit Perth Museum Maiden Hurdle aboard 7-4 favourite Try Them and followed up later on 10-1 shot Dolly Dior in the Malcolm Group Handicap Hurdle, both for Patrick Neville.

Hughes was afforded a guard of honour from weighing room colleagues on his return as he joined Sir Anthony McCoy, Ruby Walsh and Richard Johnson in a select group of racing’s greats.

The Northern Ireland-born 41-year-old credited luck with injuries and loyal support for enabling him to reach the milestone.

“Obviously you dream you could ride that many winners but you have to have a lot of luck and help along the way and take your opportunities when you get them,” Hughes told Racing TV.

“I’ve had a lot of seasons where I didn’t get injured. Last season I broke my leg five months ago to the day but those figures are (amazing) and joining AP and Ruby Walsh. They were winning Gold Cups and Grand Nationals which I haven’t but maybe I will, you never know.”

Hughes has won the Championship title three times landing it first in 2019-20 when he became the first champion based in the north of England since Jonjo O’Neill in 1980. He backed up that title with two more wins in 2021-22 and 2022-23.

Asked what was missing from his riding CV now he said: “I would like a couple of those bigger signature races but I’m not going to be hanging up the boots any time soon. I still quite enjoy it and don’t have any weight problems so as long as I’m enjoying it and I’m fit and healthy and people want to use me I’ll keep going.

“A lot of my friends have been retired for different reasons through bad injuries, I’ve been relatively lucky with injuries and the bones I have broken.

“As AP once said if you don’t think you are going to end up in the back of an ambulance you are a fool because you are going to. That is part and parcel of this game but I’ve been lucky that the injuries haven’t been too severe.

“The end of last season was the worst injury I had in my whole career, I was stuck for five months and I wasn’t the best patient in the world. It has taken a bit of time to get my fitness up and get everything back going but it’s not far away from where it should be.”

Hughes insisted he was moved by the reception given to him by his fellow riders at the Scottish track.

He said: “It was very kind of the lads to applaud me back in. I am very appreciative of that obviously, it was a similar situation when I managed to ride a 200th winner here at the April Festival so I’m very appreciative.”