Richard Hughes (jockey)

Richard Hughes
Richard Hughes (from Hanshin Racecourse)
Occupation	Racehorse trainer
Born	(1973-01-11) 11 January 1973 (age 44) Dublin, Ireland
Career wins	1828 (as of 31/12/12)
Major racing wins
UK and Ireland Group 1 Races 1,000 Guineas, Cheveley Park Stakes, Coronation Stakes, Falmouth Stakes, Haydock Sprint Cup, July Cup, King's Stand Stakes, Lockinge Stakes (twice), Nassau Stakes, Nunthorpe Stakes, Queen Anne Stakes (twice), St. James's Palace Stakes, Sussex Stakes, Irish 2,000 Guineas, Matron Stakes, Epsom Oaks
Racing awards
British flat racing Champion Jockey 2012, 2013, 2014
Significant horses
Canford Cliffs, Oasis Dream, Paco Boy, Sky Lantern

Richard Hughes (born 11 January 1973) is an Irish racehorse trainer who is based at Lambourn in Berkshire, England. Prior to becoming a trainer in 2015 he was a successful jockey in Flat racing, based in Great Britain. Born in Dublin, he is the son of successful National Hunt trainer, Dessie Hughes. Hughes was British flat racing Champion Jockey in 2012 and retained that title in 2013, when he rode more than 200 winners in the season, and again in 2014.

Hughes started pony racing aged seven, having his first win aboard Chestnut Lady in a six furlong race at Wexford. His first ride in the senior ranks was in a six furlong maiden at Naas on 19 March 1988, on a debutant called Scath Na Greine. He finished tenth.

Since the end of 2013, Hughes' main provider of rides has been trainer Richard Hannon Jr, who is also his brother in law. For many years before that he rode for Hannon's father, Richard Hannon Sr and from 2001 to 2007 he was also retained by the owner Prince Khalid Abdullah. Hughes is 5'10" in height, very tall for a flat jockey. This means he has to maintain his weight significantly below natural levels, even for a jockey. Hughes' larger natural size means he cannot ride horses carrying light weights, reducing his winning opportunities. Hughes is respected for his riding style of 'nursing' horses along, getting horses to respond and run into the race without appearing to physically ride them hard.

In October 2011, Hughes received a five-day ban for hitting race-horse More Than Words too many times with the whip inside the final furlong in a race at Kempton. The ban was the first of its kind to be implemented after a change in the rules regarding horse welfare. On 13 October 2011, it was announced that Hughes was giving up his racing licence and quitting the sport out of protest at the ban.