'I've got at least two more years left in me' - Brian Hughes vows to return from injury and reach major milestone

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Brian Hughes has vowed to return from a broken leg and continue to ride "for another two years at least" following his setback, which came with the three-time champion jockey on the cusp of a major landmark.

Hughes was released from hospital on Wednesday after an operation on his right tibia following a fall at Newcastle on Saturday from Hawkseye View in the 2m7½f handicap chase. 

The injury was sustained when Hughes was kicked by another horse and comes at a frustrating time with the 40-year-old not only on 99 winners for the season but also on 1,994 career jumps winners.

"I've got two more years left in me at the very least – I'm not retiring," Hughes said. "I'm fit and well and this is just a bump in the road. I still feel I'm doing the job particularly well and riding plenty of winners for a lot of people. If I wasn't doing that there would be questions asked, but I think I'm doing the job okay and I feel good doing it."

Hughes, who has ridden 50 winners since the start of December, is unsure how long he will be out for, but when he does return he will be on the brink of becoming just the fourth jump jockey in history – after Tony McCoy, Richard Johnson and Ruby Walsh – to have reached 2,000 winners.

"I'm getting it x-rayed next week, so that will give me a timeline," Hughes said. "It's all in line and they're happy enough with it. I've been relatively lucky over the years with injuries and I've never broken a limb before, so I don't know and it's a waiting game.

"I'm not far away from the 2,000. I've been consistent over the years as before last season, I'd ridden more than 100 winners for ten seasons in a row and I've nigh on done it again this season, although it will be annoying if I don't get back before the end of the season as I'm on 99 winners."

Hughes, whose championship victories came in 2019-20, 2021-22 and 2022-23, was in line to ride The Real Whacker in the Randox Grand National and had plenty of other possible rides at Aintree to look forward to, including Pertemps runner-up Lavida Adiva and Champion Bumper fifth Diamant Dore.

Hughes is already looking to next season and added: "I've got three smart bumper horses, Diamant Dore, A Likeable Rogue and Jet Of Stars going hurdling next season who could be anything."

Read these next:

Brian Hughes undergoes operation on broken leg following Newcastle fall and will miss Grand National meeting  

Sean Bowen treble takes tally to 218 for the season - more than twice as many winners than nearest rival 

'It's taken me 20 years' - another milestone for Luke Morris as jockey celebrates first five-timer 

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