Hughes out of luck in early stages

Irish jockey Richard Hughes struck out on his first ride at Nottingham on a pivotal day in the battle for the jockeys' championship.

Hughes currently trails Paul Hanagan by three winners, but has 13 rides at Nottingham and Kempton.

Hanagan is not in action at Colwick Park this afternoon, but has seven mounts at Kempton.

Hughes was out of luck in the Hallgarten Druitt Nursery, though, as Richard Hannon's Jambo Bibi was never a factor behind Black Annis Bower (11-2).

Although he will swerve the Breeders' Cup so as to fight it out at the final meeting of the season at Doncaster on Saturday, Hughes is prevented from competing on Friday as he will have reached his quota of nine meetings for a week.

The Irishman fared no better in division one of the 1stsecuritysolutions.co.uk Maiden Stakes as Madison Square finished last behind Swindy.

Division two of the extended one-mile maiden produced a similar outcome for Hughes as Godolphin's Circus Act failed to trouble the judge on his racecourse debut.