Richard Hughes had a memorable 2025 after winning his first Group 1 race when No Half Measure landed the July Cup at Newmarket, while his 64 winners equalled his personal best from the previous year, sweeping him past the magical million-pound barrier as his prize-money total reached a whopping £1,637,981.
Hughes was unlucky not to win the fourth Group race of his career when America Queen was only caught close home in the Nell Gwyn at Newmarket last week, and she will make her bid for Classic glory in the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches at ParisLongchamp next month, with the May Hill fourth Rose Ghaiyyath set to represent the Weathercock House in the Betfred 1000 Guineas at Newmarket a week earlier.
Sayidah Dariyan, who finished an honourable fourth in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot last year, will also be in action at Newmarket, while Nobody Knows, a winner of both his starts to date, could return as early this week in the Esher Cup at Sandown on Friday.
Hughes said: “We had a brilliant year last season, and we will be doing our best again this time around. We are a little bit down on older horses and three-year-olds, so we are relying on our two-year-olds to have a good year, but I think they will.”
Hughes kindly to spoke to Tony Elves of attheraces.com about his Upper Lambourn team.