Richard Hughes' appeal against six-day ban to be heard on Thursday

Richard Hughes will discover whether his seven-month struggle to win the jockeys' championship has been in vain on Thursday, when his appeal against a six-day ban imposed by the stewards at Wolverhampton on Saturday will be heard at the British Horseracing Authority's headquarters in London. Hughes had cut Paul Hanagan's lead in the championship to nine winners prior to the suspension, imposed for careless riding aboard Aviso, the eventual winner, in the early stages of the Cleanwastesolutions Handicap. Aviso was found to have caused "multiple interference" because of the knock-on effects after Hughes executed a manoeuvre to his left. He was suspended for six days, 16 October and 18-22 October, which would also rule him out of Champions Day at Newmarket on 16 October. With betting on the jockeys' title currently suspended pending the outcome of Hughes's appeal, William Hill opened a book yesterday on his chances of success at the hearing. It offers 4-7 that the ban is reduced, 6-1 that it is overturned completely, 9-4 that it is unchanged, and 20-1 that it is increased. Hanagan put one more winner on the board at Pontefract yesterday when he steered Plan A, the 3-1 favourite, home in a 12-furlong handicap, while Hughes drew a blank despite having several fancied rides at Windsor. Johnny Murtagh has been booked to ride Red Cadeaux for Ed Dunlop in the Cesarewitch on Champions Day, having steered the same horse into second place in the Cesarewitch Trial over course and distance last month. "Johnny was very keen to ride again," Dunlop said. "He told me that he thought that they were going to hack up coming out of the dip, but that the horse started to prick his ears and look about him up the hill. So we have decided to put a small pair of blinkers on Red Cadeaux on Champions' Day so as to make him concentrate and, hopefully, put the race to bed. "He is a solid stayer with a turn of foot and a horse who enjoys getting his toe in, but genuine autumn ground would suit him perfectly."