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Hughes wins third jockeys' title in-a-row

Richard HughesRichard Hughes
© Photo Healy Racing

Richard Hughes has effectively been crowned British flat racing champion jockey for a third time after it emerged Ryan Moore will not be riding in Britain again this term.

Moore led the way in the championship for a large part of the campaign but Hughes has been relentless in his search of winners in recent weeks.

Moore stated some time ago that winning the championship was not a priority for him and that he would be chasing big victories all over the world during the closing weeks of the season. He was in Canada riding Hillstar to victory in the Canadian International on Sunday, barely 24 hours after taking part in Champions Day at Ascot.

He was down to ride two horses at Lingfield on Tuesday, but his agent Tony Hind said: "Ryan is just feeling under the weather.

"In all the time I've known him he's never missed a day through illness but he woke up this morning and rang me to say he didn't think he could do his rides justice as he is not feeling 100 per cent.

"He's going to Australia for the Cox Plate this weekend, after that it is on to America for the Breeders' Cup, back to Australia for the Melbourne Cup and then there's the Hong Kong races."

Hughes was proud to have even put himself in a position to retain the title for a third year running.

He told Press Association Sport: "I wouldn't say I've been battling with Ryan, but it feels sweet after the doctor told me I could be out for months when I was injured in Dubai. Because of that, I started a month behind everyone else.

"It means more to me than Ryan, but to be champion jockey for a third time is great."