Ebor Festival: “I wouldn’t swap her for anything," says Hughes

Precision timing proved key when Richard Hughes tasted Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes glory as a jockey and his expert judgement could see Sayidah Dariyan peak at the perfect moment when she takes aim at York’s feature sprint on Friday.

Often content to bide his time in the plate, patience has again been the Irishman’s watchword in the training ranks, ending his long wait for an elusive first Group One success as a trainer when No Half Measures won the July Cup earlier this summer.

And ahead of Sayidah Dariyan’s attempt to quickly double his tally at the highest level, the 52-year-old remembers delivering Edward Lynam’s Sole Power with aplomb in the 2014 Nunthorpe, a ride which is often referred to as Hughes at the height of his powers.

A shock winner when surging home at 100-1 four years previously, the seven-year-old was an established name in the spiriting division and fresh off victory at Royal Ascot when Hughes entered the stalls aboard the 11-4 favourite.

What would ensue in the following 57.92 seconds was a display of calculated decision making as Hughes weaved his way to the front in the nick of time in an exhibition of horsemanship which was a hallmark of his decorated career in the saddle.

“It was really straightforward and I always felt it was a race you needed to get your fractions the same every furlong,” said Hughes

“It looked like Sole Power was quickening but he was going the same speed from the two-furlong pole to the one as he did from the one-pole to the winning post, I would say, and it was the others which stopped.

“I had no choice for four furlongs as I was flat to the bat, I know I was sitting on him but I couldn’t go any quicker.

“It was only then when the pace finally collapsed – and it took a good while but it eventually did – and they were all in a bit of a heap and collapsed at a similar time that I got going, and I had a bit of luck along the way to get through the pack.

“It does give you some extra satisfaction when you win like that and I enjoyed it, that’s for sure.”

There are many ways to get a job done and while Sole Power’s daring late dash is the showreel finish any jockey would be proud to wax lyrical about, in stark contrast, Hughes’ first Nunthorpe triumph aboard Oasis Dream in 2003 was a mere formality as the outstanding sprinter of his generation blew away his rivals.

Majestically handled by John Gosden, he was an impressive winner of the July Cup before dropping back to five furlongs to prove equally spellbinding on the Knavesmire, leaving Hughes with little doubt where he stands in the pantheon of sprinting greats.

He said: “He was very, very fast and able to maintain it. He was a young horse at the time so he was exuberant.

“He would be one of the best sprinters I rode, he was third at Royal Ascot but won a July Cup and a Nunthorpe and not many do that, he was very good.”

With triumphs in the saddle now confined to the memory bank and perhaps the odd photographic reminder on a wall, attentions turn to the next chapter in Hughes’ Nunthorpe history book when Sayidah Dariyan takes her place in the showpiece sprint event.

Successful over the course and distance in her most recent outing, Hughes is confident the talented daughter of Dariyan is coming to the boil at just the right time, as the Weathercock Stables handler looks to cap a breakout year in the training ranks at the scene of some of his finest hours on horseback.

“It would be lovely to win as a trainer,” continued Hughes. “It might be a bit harder than when I was a jockey but we hope we have a great chance.

“Sayidah Dariyan really is going the right way and last time when she won at York, it was the first time she was ridden the way I like.

“She was covered up and ridden for a turn of foot by Billy (Loughnane) and she just exploded. We were able to see the best of her ridden that way.

“I don’t think coming back to five furlongs will be too much of a hindrance to her, she’s quite fast.

“I wouldn’t swap her for anything and with No Half Measures as well, we know we have two nice fillies.”