'Being top jock is all I have ever wanted' - Hughes

Brian Hughes feels becoming champion jockey in the UK for a second time is a bigger achievement than being just the fourth National Hunt rider in history to reach the 200-winner mark.

Hughes was able to take the acclaim of his peers as he was presented with his trophy at Sandown on Saturday, but crucially members of his family were also on hand after being denied the opportunity due to the pandemic when he won the crown for the first time two years ago.

"To ride that number of winners in one season doesn't really seem real, but I've had a good bit of luck along the way. It's been hard work, but essentially you are doing a job which is your hobby," said Hughes.

"I almost said I'd ride for free the other day, but in this day and age you don't do anything for free! The programme is so relentless though, you couldn't do it if you didn't love it. We all go into it for the love of it, not for financial gain.

"Last year I felt I'd failed as I led all year and got beat by Harry (Skelton). It's no different to a football team getting beaten in the FA Cup final, I was gutted.

"I got my head down and didn't want it to happen again, so I worked as hard as I could to make sure it didn't happen again.

"I think this year means more than the first as the last one ended early because of Covid and there were a lot more things going on in the world. Having lost the championship last year, to win it back, by a considerable margin and with 200 winners, it will mean the most.

"A few people said I'd only won it because the season stopped early, so I was eager to prove them wrong.

"To be honest it's always been about being champion jockey for me. The 200 winners only came into the reckoning from February. Yes 200 is a massive achievement, but to me,