Hughes turns tide for Tidal Bay

The joy etched across Hughes's face was palpable as the 2008 Arkle winner, back over hurdles after losing his way over fences, crossed the Cheltenham winning line and galloped into World Hurdle contention.

For, while racegoers cheered the revival of an old favourite in the Cleeve Hurdle, it was the Yorkshire-based jockey's first win at NH racing's headquarters and, potentially, the most significant of his career to date.

Even though Alan Swinbank's stable jockey was crowned young jockey of the year at last year's Lesters, and has made the shortlist for this month's ceremony, he has struggled to secure rides at the major meetings.

For example, Hughes did not enjoy a single mount at last year's National Hunt Festival. That should change – even though he was deputising on Tidal Bay for Howard Johnson's injured stable jockey Denis O'Regan.

"I've probably only had eight rides before at Cheltenham," a delighted Hughes told the Yorkshire Post.

"I can't seem to buy rides down south – even at the bottom of the big handicaps. Hopefully winning such a prestigious race on Channel Four, and at Cheltenham, will help.

"I've won a Swinton Hurdle at Haydock, but this was special."

Hughes rode for Johnson when he first arrived in England from his native Ireland – but found himself playing second fiddle to Paddy Brennan, the then stable jockey, who was the first to offer his congratulations on Saturday.

He teamed up with Richmond-based Swinbank at the start of last season, and has enjoyed considerable success for other Yorkshire trainers like Richard Fahey.

And he was overjoyed that he could play his part in reinvigorating Tidal Bay, a nine-year-old horse with a high head carriage and who can be described, at best, as being quirky.

This, after all, was the bay gelding with the world of jump racing seemingly at his feet when he won the 2008 Arkle Trophy by 13 lengths.

"I've ridden Tidal Bay at Howard's but never in a race," said Hughes, one of three young riders recently tipped to make it to the top by three-time champion jockey Richard Dunwoody.

"He gave me a great feel. This was the forgotten horse of the race and there weren't too many Arkle winners in that field," he said.

"He didn't really like the ground, but fair play to Howard and his team as they had him spot on and the horse dug very deep.

"He was flat out all the way and he's got his critics, but he didn't half try there.

"If every horse was half as game as him, riding would be a lot easier."

Having travelled with ease throughout the three-mile contest, he jumped the final flight slightly awkwardly before running out a comfortable five length winner at odds of 14-1.

He's now a 12-1 shot, behind reigning champion Big Bucks, for the Ladbrokes World Hurdle next month.

Significantly, it was a race that his owners Graham and Angela Wylie won three-times with the legendary Inglis Drever, also trained by County Durham-based Johnson.

Said the winning trainer: "There'll never be another Inglis Drever but this will do won't it? Tidal Bay has had plenty of critics over the years but not many horses win an Arkle and a Cleeve Hurdle, so perhaps that will keep the knockers quiet.

"He's enjoyed himself. We had to do something as I was getting knocked and the horse was getting knocked.

"We entered him in this and the Argento Chase, but it got to about a minute to 12 and I thought I'll save myself 500 and take him out of the chase so I don't get tempted to run him.

"I rang Graham and told him I'd schooled him over two sets of hurdles and eight poles, he'd jumped great, and we would have a go at the Cleeve.

"He'll be 10lb better if the ground dries up as he doesn't like dead ground and it was pretty dead out there, but he's an honest horse."

In many respects, it was a day for comeback horses and young jockeys with former Ryanair Chase victor Taranis, off the racetrack for two years and the second string of Paul Nicholls, winning the Argento Chase, a Gold Cup trial, in the capable hands of Nick Schofield.

Like Hughes, he's trying to take his career to the next level – and both riders showed, admirably, that the next generation of jockeys will be as good, if not better, than the current crop of horsemen.