Just the treble for Richard Hughes

Fresh from his incredible  seven-timer at Windsor on Monday, Hughes began where he left off.

Riding Van Der Neer (2-1) for his boss and father-in-law Richard Hannon, the juvenile looked a cut above his rivals in the opening Wymeswold Conditions Stakes. He quickened up smartly to put the odds-on favourite Seek Again in his place by a length and three-quarters.

The winner was introduced into the 2000 Guineas betting at 33-1 and could now be  supplemented for the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster on  27 October.

“It keeps getting better,” said Hughes. “I love this colt. I think that was a serious performance. He was always travelling well and, my God, did he quicken.”

Hughes then took his tally to nine wins from ten rides on 10-11 favourite Tunnager Grove in the Whissendine Selling Stakes. “I told [my son] Harvey I’d ride three (winners) today,” he said, and the prophecy came true later in the card when he replaced the unwell Chris Catlin to take the Fosse Way Classified Claiming Stakes with 9-2 shot Guiletta.

Somewhat overshadowed was former champion jockey Ryan Moore, who was also in treble form, winning on Hillstar (2-1  favourite), Cochabamba (6-1), and Sky Khan.

Division two was claimed by The Lock Master (7-1), while Mahmood Al Zarooni’s Now Spun (11-4) was an impressive winner of the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden Stakes.

Meanwhile, Charlie Hills has had no thoughts as yet about a new stable jockey after his brother Michael announced he will retire at the end of the  current campaign.

The 49-year-old has ridden over 2,000 winners and signs off just months after his twin brother Richard decided the time was right to call it quits.

Hills won the 1996 Derby on the William Haggas-trained Shaamit and was champion  apprentice in 1983.