Ronald Hughes
Ronald Henry Hughes served his apprenticeship with John Waugh at Didcot, Berkshire. He was successful as an apprentice and rode a total of 38 winners during his career, the vast majority of them trained by Waugh.
Ronald Henry Hughes served his apprenticeship with John Waugh at Didcot, Berkshire. He was successful as an apprentice and rode a total of 38 winners during his career, the vast majority of them trained by Waugh.
Known in the yard by his nickname ‘Fiver’, Ron rode his first winner on High Heaven in the Park (3yo) Handicap at Alexandra Park on May 5, 1952. That was one of eight wins from 85 mounts that year. Unusually, none of those races was for apprentices – it was more common at the time for trainers to start their lads off in apprentice races. That meant that Ron lost his 7lb claim when riding his sixth winner – in those days you just needed to ride six winners against professional jockeys to have your claim reduced to 5lb. But that didn’t hinder Ron’s progress. He rode his seventh winner, the first one not trained by John Waugh, on Michael Pope’s three-year-old filly Widow Twankey at Newbury in October of that year.
Known in the yard by his nickname ‘Fiver’, Ron rode his first winner on High Heaven in the Park (3yo) Handicap at Alexandra Park on May 5, 1952. That was one of eight wins from 85 mounts that year. Unusually, none of those races was for apprentices – it was more common at the time for trainers to start their lads off in apprentice races. That meant that Ron lost his 7lb claim when riding his sixth winner – in those days you just needed to ride six winners against professional jockeys to have your claim reduced to 5lb. But that didn’t hinder Ron’s progress. He rode his seventh winner, the first one not trained by John Waugh, on Michael Pope’s three-year-old filly Widow Twankey at Newbury in October of that year.
Ron rode six winners from 66 mounts in 1953, including a double on the Waugh-trained pair V.C. and Rock Rusk at Folkestone on June 22. He also rode Rock Rusk to victory in the Bibury Cup at Salisbury on July 8.
Ron rode six winners from 66 mounts in 1953, including a double on the Waugh-trained pair V.C. and Rock Rusk at Folkestone on June 22. He also rode Rock Rusk to victory in the Bibury Cup at Salisbury on July 8.
It was the second half of June before Ron got off the mark for the 1954 season, but he ended it with a score of seven wins from 64 mounts, all of them trained by John Waugh. They included three on the sprinter V.C., culminating in the Exning Welter Handicap at Newmarket in October.
It was the second half of June before Ron got off the mark for the 1954 season, but he ended it with a score of seven wins from 64 mounts, all of them trained by John Waugh. They included three on the sprinter V.C., culminating in the Exning Welter Handicap at Newmarket in October.
Another seven winners followed in 1955, this time from a total of 73 mounts, again all of them for John Waugh, beginning with an early-season success on Feragamo at Leicester on March 28. He scored twice on Waugh’s grey colt Rejoicing (left), notably when winning the Epsom Handicap on Derby day.
Another seven winners followed in 1955, this time from a total of 73 mounts, again all of them for John Waugh, beginning with an early-season success on Feragamo at Leicester on March 28. He scored twice on Waugh’s grey colt Rejoicing (left), notably when winning the Epsom Handicap on Derby day.
His first winner of the 1956 season, Diogenes on the second day of Chepstow’s Whitsun fixture, was trained by Ken Cundell at Compton. He won on John Waugh’s Prairie Maiden at Salisbury the following day but then had to wait until mid-September before next visiting the winner’s enclosure, on Gay Deal in the Great Yarmouth Stayers’ Handicap.
His first winner of the 1956 season, Diogenes on the second day of Chepstow’s Whitsun fixture, was trained by Ken Cundell at Compton. He won on John Waugh’s Prairie Maiden at Salisbury the following day but then had to wait until mid-September before next visiting the winner’s enclosure, on Gay Deal in the Great Yarmouth Stayers’ Handicap.
Ron then scored twice on the best horse he rode during his career, the John Waugh-trained Predominate, firstly in the Florizel Handicap at Kempton and then in the Hwfa Williams Memorial Handicap at Sandown. Both those races were over two miles. Following an abortive attempt at hurdling in the 1957/58 season, Predominate joined Ted Leader’s stable and went on to win the Goodwood Stakes three years running, while at the advanced age of nine he carried off the Goodwood Cup. He also won the Queen Alexandra Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Ron then scored twice on the best horse he rode during his career, the John Waugh-trained Predominate, firstly in the Florizel Handicap at Kempton and then in the Hwfa Williams Memorial Handicap at Sandown. Both those races were over two miles. Following an abortive attempt at hurdling in the 1957/58 season, Predominate joined Ted Leader’s stable and went on to win the Goodwood Stakes three years running, while at the advanced age of nine he carried off the Goodwood Cup. He also won the Queen Alexandra Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Alas, there were no such heady heights for Ron Hughes. Having ended the 1956 campaign with six winners from 94 rides, he had just one solitary success from 41 rides in 1957, that coming on John Waugh’s My Crackers at Worcester in September. By then he’d completed his apprenticeship and was obliged to take on senior jockeys on level terms.
Alas, there were no such heady heights for Ron Hughes. Having ended the 1956 campaign with six winners from 94 rides, he had just one solitary success from 41 rides in 1957, that coming on John Waugh’s My Crackers at Worcester in September. By then he’d completed his apprenticeship and was obliged to take on senior jockeys on level terms.
In 1958 Ron rode four winners from 44 mounts, the last of them being on John Waugh’s two-year-old Lonsdale in a seller at Leicester on September 23. That was to be the final winner of his career. He had his last ride on Prairie Maiden, finishing seventh in a field of 12, in a five-furlong handicap at Newmarket on October 14. He did not renew his licence the next season.
In 1958 Ron rode four winners from 44 mounts, the last of them being on John Waugh’s two-year-old Lonsdale in a seller at Leicester on September 23. That was to be the final winner of his career. He had his last ride on Prairie Maiden, finishing seventh in a field of 12, in a five-furlong handicap at Newmarket on October 14. He did not renew his licence the next season.
Ronald Hughes’s winners were, in chronological order
Ronald Hughes’s winners were, in chronological order
1. High Heaven, Alexandra Park, May 5, 1952
1. High Heaven, Alexandra Park, May 5, 1952
2. Valiant, Hurst Park, June 2, 1952
2. Valiant, Hurst Park, June 2, 1952
3. Impression’s Dream, Birmingham, June 23, 1952
3. Impression’s Dream, Birmingham, June 23, 1952
4. Rock Rusk, Chepstow, August 5, 1952
4. Rock Rusk, Chepstow, August 5, 1952
5. Rock Rusk, Folkestone, August 12, 1952
5. Rock Rusk, Folkestone, August 12, 1952
6. Trigennie. Kempton Park. September 20, 1952.
6. Trigennie. Kempton Park. September 20, 1952.
7. V.C. Leicester, September 23, 1952
7. V.C. Leicester, September 23, 1952
8. Widow Twankey, Newbury, October 25, 1952
8. Widow Twankey, Newbury, October 25, 1952
9. Winsham Lass, Wolverhampton, May 19, 1953
9. Winsham Lass, Wolverhampton, May 19, 1953
10. High Heaven, Lewes, June 8, 1953
10. High Heaven, Lewes, June 8, 1953
11. V.C., Folkestone, June 22, 1953
11. V.C., Folkestone, June 22, 1953
12. Rock Rusk, Folkestone, June 22, 1953
12. Rock Rusk, Folkestone, June 22, 1953
13. Rock Rusk, Salisbury, July 8, 1953
13. Rock Rusk, Salisbury, July 8, 1953
14. High Heaven, Hurst Park, July 25, 1953
14. High Heaven, Hurst Park, July 25, 1953
15. Wellington Castle, June 23, 1954
15. Wellington Castle, June 23, 1954
16. V.C., Salisbury, July 6, 1954
16. V.C., Salisbury, July 6, 1954
17. Earlswood, Newbury, August 13, 1954
17. Earlswood, Newbury, August 13, 1954
18. V.C., Lewes, August 31, 1954
18. V.C., Lewes, August 31, 1954
19. Feragamo, Folkestone, September 4, 1954
19. Feragamo, Folkestone, September 4, 1954
20. V.C., Newmarket, October 14, 1954
20. V.C., Newmarket, October 14, 1954
21. Pommel, Windsor, November 6, 1954
21. Pommel, Windsor, November 6, 1954
22. Feragamo, Leicester, March 28, 1955
22. Feragamo, Leicester, March 28, 1955
23. Prairie Maiden, Windsor, May 9, 1955
23. Prairie Maiden, Windsor, May 9, 1955
24. Rejoicing, Lingfield Park, May 14, 1955
24. Rejoicing, Lingfield Park, May 14, 1955
25. Rejoicing, Epsom, May 25, 1955
25. Rejoicing, Epsom, May 25, 1955
26. Earlswood, Windsor, August 27, 1955
26. Earlswood, Windsor, August 27, 1955
27. Gay Deal, Bath, September 1, 1955
27. Gay Deal, Bath, September 1, 1955
28. Gay Deal, Wolverhampton, October 17, 1955
28. Gay Deal, Wolverhampton, October 17, 1955
29. Diogenes, Chepstow, May 22, 1956
29. Diogenes, Chepstow, May 22, 1956
30. Prairie Maiden, Salisbury, May 23, 1956
30. Prairie Maiden, Salisbury, May 23, 1956
31. Gay Deal, Yarmouth, September 19, 1956
31. Gay Deal, Yarmouth, September 19, 1956
32. Predominate, Kempton, September 22, 1956
32. Predominate, Kempton, September 22, 1956
33. Prairie Maiden, Windsor, September 24, 1956
33. Prairie Maiden, Windsor, September 24, 1956
34. Predominate, Sandown, October 20, 1956
34. Predominate, Sandown, October 20, 1956
35. My Crackers, Worcester, September 14, 1957
35. My Crackers, Worcester, September 14, 1957
36. Rock Grouse, Worcester, April 26, 1958
36. Rock Grouse, Worcester, April 26, 1958
37. Big Bamboo, Worcester, May 10, 1958
37. Big Bamboo, Worcester, May 10, 1958
38. Big Bamboo, Yarmouth, September 17, 1958
38. Big Bamboo, Yarmouth, September 17, 1958
39. Lonsdale, Leicester, September 23, 1958
39. Lonsdale, Leicester, September 23, 1958