Hughes ends long wait for Classic glory

Dubai: Twenty five years is a long time to wait to right a wrong. And it’s even more frustrating when you thought you had it nailed a day earlier than when you actually did set the record straight.

For Richard Hills, winning his first British Classic at the age of 40, was something to savour, even if it took a long time coming. The elusive win came in flamboyant fashion when the Dublin-born Hughes, the reigning British champion jockey, rode a confident race aboard 9-1 shot Sky Lantern to victory in the Qipco 1000 Guineas at Newmarket on Sunday.

Hughes, who was confident that his wait for Classic glory would end 24 hours earlier in the 2000 Guineas with Toronado, was unable to control his emotions after guiding the Richard Hannon-trained daughter of Red Clubs to a decisive half-length victory over Just The Judge. “About bloody time,” the 5’10” tall jockey said. “I think my wife was more upset than I was [after Toronado] — I was consoling her all night. I remember telling her it was only a horse race and there were more important things.

“She said, ‘I know it’s only a horse race, but you never seem to win the big ones’. I’ve won plenty of Classics everywhere else and I was pretty sure one day I’d get the horse, but it’s a monkey off my back.

“It’s very hard, as for the last 10 years Aidan O’Brien has been dominating but Richard has been stepping up the quality.”

Hughes, who is married to Hannon’s daughter Elizabeth, has amassed major wins in Britain, Ireland, France, Italy and India including 10 Group 1s in England alone.

Hannon, who has won the 2000 Guineas on three occasions with Tirol (1990), Don’t Forget Me (1987) and Mon Fils (1973), was notching his first success in the fillies’ Classic.

However, he was not present at Newmarket to enjoy the special moment, having chosen instead to attend Sunday’s race at his local track in Salisbury.

Performing trainer duties at Newbury was his son Richard Jr, who said: “We were pretty low after yesterday. It was a very disappointing. [Toronado’s loss in the 2000 Guineas]. But she deserved a bit of luck, this filly. She went to America [Breeders’ Cup] and didn’t get any luck and then she bumped into a very good filly [Hot Snap] who didn’t run her race today.

“I’m delighted for Hughesie. He’s one of the best jockeys ever and I’m just delighted he’s done it on one of ours. We’ll look at the Irish Guineas now, but she might well go further. I’d say a mile and a quarter would be as far as she’d go.”