Hughes hopes for another track title at Brighton

Champion jockey Richard Hughes hopes to stride towards another title at Brighton on Sunday and Monday.

Hughes has scored an impressive 11 winners in only 23 rides at Race Hill this season.

And the flat superstar is keeping his fingers crossed he can improve the strike rate at the Gatwick Airport Family Fun Day and the following afternoon on route to claiming the track's jockey crown for this year.

It could prove compensation as injury at the start of the season put him behind in his bid to secure a third successive national championship.

Hughes is currently just four wins ahead of William Carson, the grandson of the legendary Derby-winning jockey with the same name, at Brighton.

The 41-year-old, who won the national pilot's championship in 2012 and 2013, told Brighton and Hove Independent: 'Hopefully I can ride a few winners on Sunday and Monday. It'd be nice if I end up top jockey there. I like Brighton. Always have done.

'I would put my good strike rate at Brighton down to a good agent who gets me the right horses. Horses who can travel well.'

His main trainer, Richard Hannon Junior, specialises in buying yearlings and racing them the following year.

Hannon, in his first full-year since taking over the licence from his father Richard at the Herridge Racing Stables in Wiltshire, is in line to lift Brighton's 2014 trainer's crown.

He has scored eight wins from 21 entries, seven of them two- year-olds.

Hughes, who won the 1,000 Guineas and Oaks last year, said: 'Hopefully we'll ride a few more winning two-year-olds.'

The Family Fun Day will feature a soccer skills session with Albion in the Community, the charity arm of the Seagulls.

The course will also stage a Mascot Race and supply fairground activities.

Doors open at noon with the first of seven races at 2pm.

Meanwhile, Brighton Challenge Cup winner Barwick has repeated history.

The horse trained by Angmering handler Lady Herries, guided home in the Cup at this month's three-day Brighton Festival by Cam Hardie, has won the Amateur Derby at Epsom. Gentleman amateur rider Mr R Birkett was in the saddle.

Last year. Beacon Lady, handled by William Knight, a neighbour of Lady Herries, performed the same double.

And, coincidently, Knight's horse won on the same card.