‘Enough is enough’ blasts former champion jockey as well-backed horse is pulled from race
FORMER champion jockey Richard Hughes was forced to defend one of his owners after their well-backed horse was pulled from a race.
Respected At The Races tipster Hugh Taylor posted a photo of the stewards’ report that claimed Ballarat Bertie had been scratched from a contest at Kempton on Monday because ‘the owner was unable to attend’.
PAThree-time champion jockey turned trainer Richard Hughes was forced to defend one of his owners after their well-backed horse was pulled from a race[/caption]
The two-year-old colt had finished last on all three career runs for owner R J Rexton.
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But he had been smashed off the boards from 12-1 to 3-1 for his first run following wind surgery.
The horse was due to run on the all-weather for the first time and had been upped in trip to 7f.
But Ballarat Bertie, who had raced at 125-1 and 150-1 on his previous two outings, was deemed a non-runner in bizarre circumstances ahead of the 4.55pm contest.
Taylor said the official reason of ‘owner unable to attend’ was a new one to him and not something he had previously seen before.
This led punters to allege the horse had been pulled because the owner had missed the price.
But Hughes, who was champion Flat jockey three years in a row from 2012, insisted that simply was not the case.
He wrote in response to Taylor’s post: “Enough is enough.
“The owner was on his way to see his horse run, he got stuck near Bicester on the M40 (check traffic reports).
“He got 12s and was very happy with that price. He always travels to see his horses. I respected his wishes by pulling his horse out – simple as that!”
Hughes’ explanation didn’t go down well with everyone though, and Taylor said pulling a horse for such a reason ‘sets a dangerous precedent’.
Ballarat Bertie was subsequently entered for a 7f race at Wolverhampton on Monday.
The Kempton contest, a nursery handicap for horses rated 0-60, was won by 9-1 Token Gesture for trainer Mark Usher and jockey Tyler Heard.
Victory in the Class 6 contest was worth £3,140.
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