Richard Hughes notched his 100th winner of the campaign with an astute ride on Persian Punch as Champions` Day kicked off at Newmarket today.
Hughes, whose previous best tally came last year with 95, stitched up the Jockey Club Cup with a clever piece of front-running.
He boldly sent his mount into a clear lead almost immediately and judged the pace perfectly in the Group Three event.
As the opposition were wound up for a challenge, Hughes simply kicked on again.
Persian Punch responded to all his jockey`s callings and was five lengths clear of Royal Rebel at the line.
'It seems that Richard has struck up a good relationship with this horse,' said trainer David Elsworth.
'It does suit him to jump off in front and improve his position.
'Persian Punch has given us miles of fun and he will be back again next year for a crack at the Gold Cup.'
Royal Rebel, the winner of the Goodwood Cup in midsummer, will try to end his season on a high in the Prix Royal-Oak (the French St Leger) at Longchamp tomorrow week.
Trainer Mark Johnston said: 'If he`s well he`ll go to France. That looked as good a staying race as you can find and France won`t be any tougher.'
Royal Rebel is also going to stay in training and will almost certainly cross swords again with Persian Punch in the Gold Cup.
Barry Hills` decision to run Last Resort in the Victor Chandler Challenge Stakes paid dividends, his filly obliging at 20-1.
Hills selected the Group Two contest in preference to options in France and Last Resort did not let him down, showing a telling turn of foot under the trainer`s son Michael to go clear in the last furlong and win by two and a half lengths from Maidaan.
The trainer was not surprised and said: 'She`s been improving all year and while a lot of mine had been wrong she`s been going the right way.'
Plans for the three-year-old, owned by Fahd Salman, are fluid and Hills said: 'She`ll go to stud but whether that will be at the end of this year I don`t know. She`s going to make a lovely broodmare.'
Godolphin`s Kabool, a winner at Longchamp last time out, was a major disappointment. The 11-4 favourite, a stable-companion of the runner-up, finished last.
Trainer Saeed bin Suroor said: 'The race probably came too quick for him after France. Perhaps he had a harder race than we thought.
'But I`m please with Maidaan. He seems to be improving and will be going back to Dubai now.'
Champion jumps trainer Martin Pipe secured another big Flat racing prize as Heros Fatal ground out victory in the Tote Cesarewitch.
The 11-1 chance, third in the race 12 months ago, stayed on well in the hands of Gary Carter to defeat Wave of Optimism (40-1) by three parts of a length.
It was a further one-length back to the 9-2 favourite Barba Papa in third.
Tryphaena, a 10-1 chance, looked sure to win two furlongs but found little when let down and finished fourth.
Pipe preferred to stay at home as he was feeling under the weather.
His assistant Jonothan Lower said: 'Martin wasn`t 100% but I`ve just spoken to him and he`s feeling a bit better now!'
Carter said: 'I had to lose 4lb this morning to get down to the weight but it`s all worth it now. He was a bit free early on but he`s stayed on really well to the line.'
Pipe trains Heros Fatal for two of his most loyal patrons Frank and Alison Farrant.
'We won the Northumberland Plate with Tamarpour but apart from that this is our biggest win on the Flat,' said Frank Farrant.
'Newmarket`s the headquarters of Flat racing and it`s nice for a jumping owner and trainer to win a big race.
'This will be Heros Fatal`s last race on the Flat and he`s going to go chasing now.
'He hasn`t schooled over fences yet but he jumps hurdles well and we`re hoping he`ll do well.'
Wave of Optimism`s trainer Jeff Pearce said: 'His lad`s given him a great ride but we just met a better horse, a fitter horse, on the day.'
Tony Martin, the trainer of Barba Papa, said: 'He just wasn`t quite good enough and he`s hung a fair bit.
'He`ll jump hurdles now as there`s very little on the Flat for him.'
