McCain / B Hughes bust up

Whats the story then?

Kennedy got a raw deal in first place.  Suits the one paced donkeys and McCains style of training alot better than the Hughes sit and travel and find zilch riding style

Agreed. McCain yard seem to be going from one problem to another.

took hughes as thought it would bring him more horses at a time when he'd lost plenty

got 141 listed in the HIT book happy valley, perhaps he as few too many.

all quantity over quality.

Still a mystery though - as/how he could not saddle  a Loser several years ago.

Your choice ... 'as' - or - 'how'

thought hughes was getting 10lb couldn't believe he had to take on big boys at level weights,

knot in wood when he signed him he had just lost his big owner

Seems to lose all his big owners eventually, horses also running v poor since the equine flu outbreak. Now has two so so jockeys.

Has this been announced anywhere?

Agree with Too Easy's comment. The hallmark of Donald McCain's horses in their heyday was that they found plenty for pressure - swapping Kennedy, who did well for McCain and was a decent enough off the bridle jockey, for Hughes, who gets horses to travel but is weak in a finish, seemed a strange decision.

He still seems to have a large yard but full of bang average horses. Only Hobbs, Hendo, Skelton, Pumpkin and Tizzard have had more runners this season.

Told today Hughes will ride Nicky Richard's nice horse but mainly be free lance. More PU from McCain today, yard in awful form.

Told today Hughes will ride Nicky Richard's nice horse but mainly be free lance. More PU from McCain today, yard in awful form.

Nice horses should have been.

McCain has pulled to many strokes and has lost owners and public support as for Hughes way overrated and very weak in a finish.

Outlandish comment. What strokes has he pulled? Name three of them.

mc cain as a trainer started well but he got far too big ,, and couldnt give the horses the  time always needed , the staff he had were not of the same calibre as the other big yards , the location didnt help ,,, he also started imo to believe his own publicity , hes far from self depracating in the manner of gosden and even nick henderson ,  a documentary ive commented on before a couple of years ago  highlighted only him and his daughter , nothing on the staff , or the horses , and this was in november , prior to this his runners in the in the prev three or four months had had no sucess , few winners and running like zombie , When asked why the horses were running poorly he replied ,,, ohh we have had a virus for months ,,,  it was at this point i thought he doesnt know what hes doing ,,, in that why would you run horses with a virus ,  and stacks of runners all summer and autumn , , shortly his biggest owner left and it was reported that drugs were a huge issue with a few of his staff , In some ways the reduction of his runners helped ,he seemed to get his focus back , yet the increase again shows hes got delegation issues ,

gosden , nicolls henderson o brians father and son , wake every morning  and have staff they trust to say ok where are we today wheres the next winner , ,  he doesnt imo have that , always difficult being the son of a legend ,,, see david pipe ,,,   and jack berrys son ,,,,,, ginger his dad had few horses , and limited success except for rummy and a couple of others , he wdnt have handled these owners and the ranks of massed horses , he was far from popular

can somewon update the RP - they reckon he is a championship contender next season


Brian Hughes

Hughes is recognised as the leading rider in the north and a rock-solid jockey with the firmest of grips on the formbook. For the past five seasons he has recorded centuries and 2018-19 will be his best in terms of winners and prize-money. However, linking up with a resurgent Donald McCain this term has not allowed him to make any inroads on the seemingly immovable Johnson.

Why do people always want to crab those that become successful.

Brian is one of the most stylish and sympathetic riders around unlike some, and is able to get the best out of his mounts without resort to using the whip excessively.

There are very few, if any, in the North of England that is in more demand than him and 641 winners in the last five years hardly reflects on a jockey who is 'weak' in a finish.

You have to remember being a top class jockey is more than who can hit their horse hardest in a finish.

I am fortune to have had Brian ride for me on several occasions and have never thought anyone else could have ridden them better.

I think we need wondersobright at this point to explain what the jockey stats say

Sawley House Stables...You do realise,this is the Betfair Horse racing forum

You've unwittingly admitted he's weak in a finish by saying "stylish and sympathetic".

When it comes down to a close finish or on lazy horses, brute strength and stamina matters, and that doesn't mean who uses the whip the most. Richard Johnson vs. Brian Hughes in a finish is a no brainer - Johnson is stronger and all being equal, will force a horse's head down better than Hughes.

That's not saying Hughes is a bad jockey or, as you sententiously put it, 'crabbing someone that has become successful'. And indeed, on certain horses Hughes will be much more adept at getting the horse into a position to be in that close finish than Johnson in the first place.

Certain trainers horses tend to have a certain run style. In general, I don't think Brian Hughes riding attributes are well matched to Donald McCain's horses.

I don't think there's a jockey on earth that could do much with the yards horses at the moment. Agree McCain has too many horses. Not sure he can manage the load good as others.

McCain just bought one for 100k at the Cheltenham sales, Chuvelo. Who is supporting these buys?

Sawley House Stables is correct, Hughes is a top jockey.

And another two now, 45k & 37k

And another 90k

Is Hughes injured at the moment ? don't think he's ridden for nearly a month.

has the split with McCain been confirmed ?

Let's not forget J Francome was regarded as a weak finisher,but he was also regarded as a true horseman.
Get a combination of both and you have a champion.
In my own opinion , Johnson is inferior to Hughes in the horseman stakes.

Hughes back from injury..rides winner for don,....bust up busted?

Someone has been telling fibs/exaggerating (NAP).

I'd be more concerned with the ride Hughes gave the Cromwell horse today. No chance he was going to finish in front of the well backed '2nd string'. At least that didn't win.