Winning the Galway Plate "would be right up there" for Brian Hughes

Brian Hughes says winning the Galway Plate on Hewick "would be right up there" in his list of achievements in the saddle.

The Armagh jockey, who is based in England, partners last year's winner of the race this time around in the absence of Jordan Gainford.

And although he says it's a "brilliant" ride to pick up, Hughes admits the expected softer ground won't be in Hewick's favour at Ballybrit.

The Novibet.ie ambassador said: "It’s a brilliant ride to pick up in such a massive race and I’m really looking forward to riding in it. It’s a real shame for Jordan Gainford as it’s his ride, but hopefully I can be an able deputy!

"It won’t be easy of 12 pounds higher than what he won off last year, but Shark tells me he’s in really good form. He’s off top-weight for a reason and if anything I’m probably more worried about the ground as he wouldn’t want it to be too testing. He is better on faster ground, so hopefully they don’t get as much rain as is being forecast.

"Shark is always confident about his horses, and he’s very hopeful that Hewick will run very well. We don’t usually discuss things like tactics and he prefers to give the jockey a free hand and let them decide the best way to ride the race. We’ve built up a really good relationship and I’m very grateful that he’s asked me to ride Hewick."

On where it would rank in terms of achievements in his career, the 2019–20 British jump racing champion jockey added: "It would be right up there for sure. It’s a massive race and I’m really looking forward to heading over there. I’m very lucky to have been asked to ride him and the fact he has a good chance is even better. Hopefully he can show the form he showed last year because that would put him right in the mix.

"It’s very unique track, but I’ve enjoyed riding there on the occasions that I have over the years. You don’t want to get too far back, so you need your horse to jump and travel.

"I rode a winner as a conditional on the Flat 20 years ago, so it would certainly be a long time between drinks if Hewick managed to win the Galway Plate."

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