DURING a lifetime working within the racing industry I always held a view that the owner was the one person who didn’t get enough attention. He or she is the lifeblood of our sport and without them we wouldn’t have the horses, trainers or jockeys. Since handing in my license last year, I have taken on a new role looking after owners at the Curragh and Roscommon racecourse.

My late father Dessie [Hughes] was a leading jockey before turning his attention to training. He enjoyed just as much success at the latter discipline and I have fond memories of going racing as a child. Chow Mein winning the Galway Plate back in 1985 is one day in particular that sticks in my mind. In those days we had no Sunday racing in Ireland so every summer the whole family would go pony racing with my brother Richard [Hughes]. He later went on to become champion jockey in Britain and is now a successful trainer.