Archive: Jockeys do battle in title race

Richard Hughes beat title rival Paul Hanagan by a neck in the last race at Wolverhampton on Friday to cut his lead in the jockeys' title race to five.

On a dramatic, topsy-turvy day in the race to be champion, Hughes had scored an afternoon double at Newmarket before Hanagan won twice at Wolverhampton.

With eight days of the Flat season left, 27-year-old Hanagan has 183 winners while Hughes, 36, sits on 178.

Both jockeys are trying to win the coveted title for the first time.

English jockey Hanagan began the day six ahead of the Irishman.

The Irishman cut the gap to four with two victories from five rides at Newmarket on Sweet Cecily (5-1) and Hawridge Star (10-3)

But just as Hughes headed to Wolverhampton for two later rides, Hanagan racked up his own double on Whispering Spirit (7-2 favourite) and One Cool Bex (11-4 joint favourite) to restore his advantage.

Not to be outdone, Hughes - riding his 31st race of the last three days - snatched victory in the last to bring the gap down to five.

He had been unseated from his mount Pearl in the previous race after being a late substitute for jockey Shane Kelly.

Hanagan had led by 13 a week ago as Hughes sat out a seven-day suspension.

Now Hughes must weigh up if he should head, as planned, to both days of the Breeders' Cup meeting in the United States on 5 and 6 November, which are the final days of the UK season.

Hanagan is bidding to become only the second jockey from the north of England to win the title in the last 100 years.

He would follow Kevin Darley, who won the title in 2000. He has pledged to give his earnings from the last two weeks of the season to charity, regardless of the championship outcome.

606: DEBATE Have your say on jockeys' title race

The title itself carries no additional financial reward, other than the prestige of being champion.

The tussle between the pair is reminiscent of the 2007 contest, which went down to the last race of the season before Seb Sanders and Jamie Spencer were declared joint champions with the same number of winners.

Hughes, the son of National Hunt trainer Dessie who guided Hardy Eustace to two Champion Hurdle wins, is also seeking his first jockeys' title.

He switched from jump racing earlier in his career after struggling to keep his weight down and has also fought an alcohol problem.

Hughes junior has stepped up his challenge in recent weeks, travelling across the country in search of winners.

Hanagan told BBC Sport earlier in the season that he would clock up 60,000 miles travelling to raceourses during the eight-month campaign, which runs from March until November.

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