Top jockey had to wait at the gates of heaven but title can never be taken away
Richard Forristal speaks to the rider finally crowned after weeks of limbo
Quite what took so long is unclear but, three weeks after the BHA terminated the jumps season, Brian Hughes was on Monday finally granted the right to be called champion jockey.
That it was taking so long for his achievement to be officially recognised had been begun to grate a little.
Once the announcement came on St Patrick's Day that British racing was suspended until the end of April, the jumps season was in effect over. A fortnight later, the authorities in Ireland followed suit and last week the various champions there were all duly anointed.
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- 'You can see why people end up struggling - when you're trying to pay the electric bill, losing one ride can be massive'
- 'I've never paid six figures for a horse and never will - I learned pretty quickly you're only one phone call away from f*** all'
- 'I’ve trained some fabulous horses, worked with some excellent riders - maybe I have brought a little bit of talent to the table as well'
- ‘When you’re in the moment and you’re starved, you’re ready to explode - everything built up and I just lost my s**t’
- 'He must have his breakfast earlier than Willie does' - Patrick Mullins goes behind enemy lines at Gordon Elliott's yard