Richard Hughes fears jockeys' title bid scuppered by Wolverhampton ban

Richard Hughes will launch an appeal after the championship-chasing jockey was banned for six days for careless riding at Wolverhampton last night. The ban, plus a one-day suspension he got at the same meeting, will effectively rule the Irishman out of the running as he already trails title leader Paul Hanagan by nine winners. Hughes was found guilty of careless riding aboard Aviso, who won the concluding handicap. The jockey received a six-day suspension for that offence, before which he was banned one day for using his whip with excessive frequency on Tallawalla, runner-up in division two of the extended nine-furlong handicap. Hughes is set to be out of action between October 16-22, which will mean the rider missing Champions' Day at Newmarket on the first day of the ban. A very angry Hughes told racing post.com : "That is my championship chances gone out of the window. It was good while it lasted but it's gone now. I will be appealing." In the same report Wolverhampton stewards' secretary Simon Cowley said: "In the incident on the bend Richard had looked over his left shoulder as he knew things were going to be tight, but made no attempt to pull his mount off. It caused a domino effect on the inside where a number of horses were hampered and as that is in the realms of considerable careless riding the stewards felt they had no option but to hand out the penalty." This morning the jockey's agent, Tony Hind, confirmed the rider will appeal against the six-day careless-riding ban. He said: "I've spoken to Richard [this morning] and he said he is definitely appealing. He is appealing against the severity of the suspension which he feels didn't warrant the offence."