Hughes and Hanagan have never been champion

Richard Hughes's hopes of overhauling jockeys' championship leader Paul Hanagan suffered a setback after he had to miss Kempton's evening meeting.

Irishman Hughes cut the gap on his rival to two winners after a victory at Nottingham on Wednesday afternoon.

Hughes was due to travel to Kempton by helicopter but bad weather meant he had to get there by road instead and delays forced him to miss his six rides.

Hanagan, however, failed to capitalise, drawing a blank on his eight mounts.

Hughes, who rode a double at Kempton on Tuesday to put him three winners behind long-term championship leader Hanagan, drew a blank in the first four of his scheduled six rides at Nottingham.

But the Irish title contender secured victory on the 17-2 chance Spring Secret in the penultimate race of the day.

Hanagan's tally now stands at 186 with Hughes on 184 ahead of the final meeting of the season at Doncaster on Saturday.

Despite failing to find a winner, Hanagan remains in confident mood.

"I've just got to keep doing as I am and keep my head down and keep going," he said after finishing at Kempton.

"I am still enjoying it and it is a very lucky position to be in."

Both men have two outings on Thursday - at Lingfield in the afternoon ahead of Kempton's evening card.

Hughes's absence from the Kempton meeting now means he could ride at one of Friday's two Flat meetings at Southwell and Wolverhampton if he can pick up some spare rides.

But he will have to be cleared to take the rides by the British Horseracing Authority and the race stewards.

Initially he would have missed Friday's action because he would have ridden in the maximum nine meetings a jockey is allowed to ride in per week.

Hughes has also indicated that he will miss this weekend's ride on Paco Boy in the Breeders Cup in Kentucky to continue the battle with Hanagan.

THURSDAY RIDES

RICHARD HUGHES 184
War Painter 1245 Lingfield
Rule Of Nature 1320 Lingfield
Hulcote Rose 1355 Lingfield
Yurituni 1430 Lingfield
King Supreme 1505 Lingfield
Leahness 1540 Lingfield
D'Urberville 1610 Lingfield
Lady Rosamunde 1730 Kempton
Queen of Cash 1830 Kempton
Dingaan 1900 Kempton
Larkrise Star 1930 Kempton
High On A Hill 2000 Kempton

PAUL HANAGAN 186
Little Scotland 1320 Lingfield
Mango Music 1355 Lingfield
Ritual 1430 Lingfield
Boucheron 1505 Lingfield
Papageno 1540 Lingfield
Hurricane Thomas 1610 Lingfield
Misscomplacent 1830 Kempton
Vhujon 1900 Kempton
Jackson 1930 Kempton
Iron Condor 2000 Kempton

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