Champion jockey Richard Hughes retires

After 25 years in racing including more than 2,400 wins in Great Britain, one of the most respected and revered jockeys has retired from the saddle.

Career

Richard Hughes,42, ended his race riding career after the Qatar Goodwood Festival last week. He had racked up an impressive 169 winners at Glorious Goodwood, while his other career highlights include 31 Royal Ascot winners, two British Classics and three French classic wins.

Hughes started his racing career off at 15 as an apprentice to his father, Dessie Hughes.

In 2003 Richard had his first British Group 1 success on board Prince Khalid Abdullah’s Oasis Dream in the Darley July Cup.

He then equalled Frankie Dettori’s record of winning seven races in a single meeting by winning seven out of eight races on October 152012 at Windsor Racecourse.

In 2013 the jockey fondly known as “the Window Cleaner” because of his tall stature won his first British Classic aboard Sky Lantern in the QIPCO 1000 Guineas. His second Classic win came just a month later aboard Talent in the Investec Oaks.

Tributes

A host of the sport’s biggest names have given tributes to the jockey, following his retirement.

“He has had an outstanding career. His style is elegant, his determination is steely and he is always so patient as a rider. It was a pleasure to watch him all these years,” said eleven time-champion jockey Lester Piggott.

Former jockey Mick Fitzgerald commented: “In spite of his height and his weight he’s a horseman, he’s an artist and when you watch him on a horse he just looks look like he was designed to fit streamlined behind one. He fits so snugly into it, that it’s almost as if he was made for the job.”

Richard may be retiring from the saddle but he won’t be retiring from racing all together. He plans on following his late father Dessie Hughes by joining the training ranks.

Check out Richard’s amazing new training facilities in the video above.