Hughes sits out Friday rides

Richard Hughes still plans to take up his important engagements over the weekend despite giving up his rides this evening after feeling unwell.

The jockeys’ championship leader will not be in action at Kempton’s floodlit fixture and will rest ahead of a busy weekend.

The strongly-fancied Strong Suit in the Group One Betfred Sprint Cup heads his rides at Haydock on Saturday afternoon before he moves on to Wolverhampton.

And on Sunday, he has four booked mounts, including Sky Lantern for his boss Richard Hannon in the feature Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh.

“He was playing golf this morning and he came over a bit queasy,” said his agent Tony Hind. “He said he sat down and had a cup of coffee with sugar but as he’d got a busy weekend coming up he said he was going home and taking the evening off.

“Hopefully he’ll be fine for tomorrow. He’s at Haydock and Wolverhampton on Saturday and is riding in Ireland on Sunday.”