Hughes keeps up the momentum in march to double century

Brian Hughes further boosted his quest to ride 200 winners this season with a Thursday double at Sedgefield.

It has long since been inevitable that the Northern Irishman will be crowned champion jockey for a second time at the end of the campaign, having ridden almost 100 winners more than current title holder Harry Skelton.

Hughes became the first northern-based jockey to ride 150 winners in a season when booting home a four-timer at Carlisle in February and now has his eyes firmly fixed on a magical double century.

The 36-year-old headed to County Durham with 184 winners under his belt – and soon made it 185 as he steered Donald McCain’s 1-4 favourite Red Vision to a clear-cut success in the opening novice hurdle.

He notched winner number 186 and made it two from two on the day for McCain – who is also in tremendous form and later made it a treble – in the following novice handicap chase, with 6-4 chance Away At Dawn passing the post with almost four lengths in hand.

Hughes and McCain had to make do with minor honours in race three, with 11-1 shot Blakeney Point finishing third behind 6-5 favourite Ashington.

His last mount of the day was aboard the Mick and David Easterby-trained En Couleur, who finished third in the finale.

Should Hughes reach 200 winners before the end of the season at Sandown on April 22, he will be only the fourth jump jockey to do so along with Sir Anthony McCoy, Richard Johnson and Peter Scudamore.