Paul Hanagan vs Richard Hughes

Pretty modest fare on offer at today´s three flat meetings in the U.K. and the main interest will be on the battle for the jockeys championship between Paul Hanagan, who rides at Musselburgh, and Richard Hughes, who is in action at both Nottingham this afternoon and on the all-weather at Kempton this evening. Although Hughes has 14 rides in all (assuming he gets to Kempton in time to ride in the first race) and Hanagan only 6, we do not expect him to eat into Hanagan´s lead, as the northern jockey has in our view much better rides. He currently leads by 8, and with Hughes due to miss the last two days of the official season next Friday and Saturday (he flies to the States to ride at the Breeders Cup) we expect Hanagan to be crowned champion jockey for the first time.

He has definite winning chances on Grissom in the opening 5 furlongs handicap at 14.40 CET, Blue Destination in the 2yo maiden at 16.15, Crimson Knot in the 2yo handicap 17.25 and the top-weights Lesleys Choice at 18.00 and Hong Kong Island half an hour later. In theory he must also have good prospects of winning the main event, a 2 mile handicap at 16.50, on Brian Ellison´s Palomar after that one´s good fifth place on the Cesarewitch. However that tough race was only11 days ago and he has been put up on the weights, so we prefer the in-form filly Graceful Descent (Jim Goldie/ Franny Norton).

At Nottingham this afternoon, Hughes is due to partner Appyjack in the seller at 14.30, Conjurors Bluff in the 2yo maiden at 15.00, Charles Camoin in the second division half an hour later - here Stoute´s Academy (Ryan Moore) looks hard to oppose, although we are also interested in the two Monsun colts in the Godolphin colours in the two divisions here- Love you Louis in the 5 furlongs handicap at 16.05, Vertueux in the 2 mile handicap 16.40 and Compton Blue in the mile handicap at 17.15. Vertueux probably has the best chance of these, his saddle slipped last time but he won his two previous races, but none of them exactly grabs the imagination.

Hughes has slightly better prospects at Kempton this evening, particularly with Ayam Zainah for Mick Channon in the opening classified race at18.40, Twice Bitten for JamieToller in the 2yo maiden an hour later, and Woolston Ferry for David Pinder in the final mile handicap at 22.10.