‘Hard work’ has given jockey Brian Hughes chance to be champion says legendary Jonjo O’Neill

INTERVIEW: Jockey Brian Hughers and trainer Alan Swinbank

Three winners at Carlisle took the in-form Hughes to the 124-winner mark for the current campaign and 12 clear of Richard Johnson who is currently recovering from a broken arm.

And Hughes is now well-placed to become the first National Hunt jockey based in the North to win the title race since O’Neill himself prevailed in the 1979-80 season – his second triumph.

The title race continues until Sandown’s traditional season-ending meeting in late April.

O’Neill believes a decisive factor has been the ability of Hughes to build alliances with most of the major trainers – and owners – in the North to maximise his winning rides.

“He’s done brilliantly,” the ever popular Cheltenham Gold Cup and Grand National-winning trainer told The Yorkshire Post in an exclusive interview.

“It doesn’t matter who you are. You have to get the good horses and Brian has captured the North like I did.

“If he can ride what he likes, and when he likes, it makes a difference. He is very, very good.

“I don’t know the guy but he seems a very nice man and would be a worthy champion.

“He’s already been champion jockey in the North for the last how long? Nearly 10 years. He works very hard, you can tell.

“As long as he stays free from injury, he has a great chance.”

O’Neill’s own career in the saddle was punctuated by countless serous injuries that would have broken lesser men.

He’s also appreciative of the goodwill that exists towards the aforementioned Johnson who has been champion for the last four years after Sir AP McCoy – who dominated the sport for two decades – hung up his riding boots.

He says there was a North-South divide when he rode – it was rare for him to travel to the lesser meetings in the south of the country and vice-versa.

Now, explains O’Neill, jockeys have to go anywhere – hence Hughes making long distance trips to Exeter and Newton Abbot last summer for solitary rides. “There’s no north, south, east or west any more,” he says.

And the 67-year-old great gentleman of racing noted the fickleness of the sport. On Sunday, young Jack Kennedy won the Irish Gold Cup on Gordon Elliott’s Delta Work.

Yet, in the very next race, the 20-year-old jockey suffered a broken leg for a fourth time in his fledgling career.

“Just keep out of trouble,” says O’Neill whose son, Jonjo junior, is currently leading the race to be champion conditional this year and is due to deputise for Johnson aboard former Gold Cup winner Native River in the Denman Chase at Newbury this Saturday.

“You think you’ve got this game sussed and it comes back to bite you.”

Yet the likable O’Neill says the same maxim applies to horses after Minella Rocco won the Hunter Chase at Wetherby on Saturday under top amateur jockey Derek O’Connor who missed the Dublin Racing Festival to take the ride.

The victory qualifies the horse, owned by JP McManus, for the Foxhunter Chase at next month’s Cheltenham Festival following a heartwarming win at Warwick last month.

And while this is a step down in grade for a steeplechaser who was good enough to chase home Jessica Harrington’s Sizing John in the 2017 Gold Cup, O’Neill says keeping Minella Rocco sound will be his greatest challenge in the coming weeks.

Aware that Hazel Hill, last year’s Foxhunters’ hero, did not bring his A-game to Wetherby, O’Neill was, nevertheless, pleased to see his stable stalwart qualify for Cheltenham.

“A drop down in grade and a bit of confidence, you can’t beat it,” he said.

“He did well to stay sound for two races. he’s delicate. Like us all, he’s getting old. He has his little problems here, there and everywhere. He was a good horse but, as you get older, it gets tougher. He’ll go straight to Cheltenham.”

Meanwhile Altior is set to return to return to action ahead at Newbury on Saturday. The dual Queen Mother Champion Chase hero is among 10 entries for the Game Spirit Chase in which Nicky Henderson’s ace will try to get back to winning ways following his first defeat in 20 starts at Ascot in November.