IT is noon on Thursday and Sandra Hughes is speaking with obvious pride about her brother Richard, who has trained another winner at Lingfield the previous night. Hughesie was a phenomenally gifted rider, becoming champion flat jockey in the UK despite a frame that didn’t just hinder him, but at 5’ 10’’, should have precluded him from having a career on that level at all.

Of course the Hughes grit was made famous long before Richard came on the scene, cemented by his father Dessie, who was a leading National Hunt rider in an era long before safety measures were conceived. He bounced back from many setbacks to become a go-to rider and his time as a trainer had a similar graph. Nothing came easy but it was all the more satisfying standing on Everest’s peak because of that.

Richard now has 13 winners since taking out a trainer’s licence last year and, given all he has achieved as a rider, his contacts and the genes gifted to him by Dessie (and also by Eileen, who was always a valuable support to her husband and continues to be for her children), it would be a surprise if he did not establish himself as a leading operator.

It was Sandra though, that took over the reins at Osborne Lodge when Dessie finally relented after another typically determined fight, this time against cancer, in November 2014. It was not the circumstances she would have wished for at all but she is a Hughes.

She spoke at his funeral about her father’s philosophy. It was simple. Get up early, work hard, treat people well. She does all that. Like her Dad, like her brother, she is tough and determined too. There was a job to be done and thanks to a team of staff that has always been rated highly, as well as her own obvious gifts, she has done it. There are signs that point to plenty of good days ahead.

Indeed, as we finished our chat on Thursday, with Hughes needing to dash off for Thurles, she exuded confidence about the chances of Acapella Bourgeois in the Grade 2 novice hurdle a few hours later. And sure enough, despite a dreadful blunder at the last, the six-year-old Network gelding was a convincing victor.

Speaking afterwards, the trainer admitted that the At The Races Michael Purcell Memorial Novice Hurdle held special significance for her. She won it 12 months ago with Sub Lieutenant. Dessie had taken the spoils in the three previous editions thanks to Giantofaman, Bright New Dawn and Lyreen Legend.

Little wonder she isn’t one for talking about struggles. That’s a dominance that would interest the Competition Authority.

Genuinely though, she fears no-one and nothing. There are real problems and perceived ones. She understands the dream that fuels racing and is pragmatic about the realities. But those realities add value to the good days. She is here to contend and here to win. She expects to win.

The initial months passed in a whirlwind. The spotlight shone brightly. There was the first winner (Sub Lieutenant), the first Grade 1 (Lieutenant Colonel in the Hatton’s Grace), the Irish Grand National (Thunder And Roses) and so on. Those early successes in particular pulled at the heartstrings. Things have settled down now but if Dessie Hughes was revered in racing circles, imagine what the wrench was like for his family. There is a memory in every nook and cranny of the training premises he made known throughout the world of jump racing.

“Time is a great healer for everyone” says Hughes. “It does only feel like a couple of months ago since Dad left us. We’ve got on with the job now and we’re doing it on our own. We’re doing well. The horses are all running well.

“We’re in a very competitive game at a very competitive time of the year but we’ve nice horses and they’re all running well and that’s the main thing.

“I had huge boots to fill I suppose, for want of a better saying. I’ll never replace him but I’ve fantastic staff around me and we’ve great owners. We’re definitely holding our own.

“He’s still here and I can’t say any more than that. He’s here all the time. Osborne Lodge is Dessie Hughes and always will be. We’re just carrying the flag for him.”

And as the hip kids might say, she is representing in a very real way. The perceived wisdom is that trainers have never had it so difficult and the numbers holding licences would suggest that. The economy took a pounding and, meantime, that fiend Willie Mullins is winning everything. Anything he isn’t is swiped by that other scoundrel, Gordon Elliott.

Sell ‘woe is me’ somewhere else. No doubt, the patronage of Gigginstown House Stud and J.P. McManus is a significant help but Acapella Bourgeois is owned by the Slaneyville Syndicate and she has plenty of other owners. Hughes is very happy with her team and is predicting that she will add to her tally of nine winners so far this term, and the €280,000 in prize-money that has her in the top 10 of Irish National Hunt handlers.

“Everyone gets a turn and racing is very much like that. Once the horses are healthy and are running well they will win races. This time of the year is always very competitive and it is very hard going into graded races taking on the likes of Willie Mullins et cetera but we have a few very nice horses and they’ve been very competitive and they’ll all win. If you were to think like that, ‘We’ll never beat them’, you’d just give up. They will win and we have some very nice horses.

“It’s a great thing to be competitive in graded races. A couple of years ago, if you said to me that you’d have runners in graded races I’d go ‘Oh my God’. Now that we’re in it, obviously we’re competitive and we want to win and if the horses are good enough they’ll win. And some of them are.”

There is a team of younger prospects she is very excited about, but has held off on exposing some of the four-year-olds to the heavy ground. Removing their enthusiasm and confidence early doesn’t make sense and so she will bide her time.

Return

Apart from Acapella Bourgeois, there are some other novices making their return shortly from a variety of issues, be it wind or sore legs, and the excitement at being able to fire those bullets again is very evident.

“We’ve a lovely horse, Couer Joyeux, owned by J.P. McManus that was second (to Vigil) in a maiden hurdle at Naas (last Sunday). He’ll hopefully win his bumper and we’ll keep him as a novice for next year. He’s very nice.

“We ran a lovely four-year-old in Naas (at the beginning of the month) called The Granson, who finished second and he’ll take his chance in a four-year-old bumper soon. He was a horse Dad bought as a young horse. He’s by Jeremy and is a nice one coming through.

“Art Of Security was ready to run in November but he got a fracture. He’s back on the go again. He won a bumper at Navan this time last year and he’s one to look forward to. There are a few very nice ones there.”

Of course the Hughes name is synonymous with Cheltenham, thanks to Davy Lad, Bit Of A Jig, Chinrullah, Monksfield, Hardy Eustace and Our Conor. They have always travelled as a family and will do so again, with Richard and his wife joining the reunion as usual.

“Cheltenham was huge for Dad. He built his whole year around it. Personally, it’s never the same without him but it’s there as a challenge and we’ll give it a go.” At this remove, she knows what might run but ground will play a big part on the composition of her team.

“Lieutenant Colonel is back on the road again. He had a wind operation, just when he was ready to run at the start of the season. Gigginstown have decided to keep him over hurdles for another year. He’d a very nice return (when second to Snow Falcon) in the Boyne at Navan. He needed the run and will come on a tonne for that. He’ll take his chance in the World Hurdle.

“All Hell Let Loose goes for the Pertemps. He ran a lovely race in the qualifier at Punchestown but he needs good ground so hopefully we’ll get that in Cheltenham. If he does you’ll see a huge improvement in him.”

Art Of Payroll could represent her best chance of adding to the family roll of honour at the festival, in the County Hurdle.

“He’s an awful lot better on better ground. He ran a very good race in Leopardstown a couple of weeks ago over two miles and he won a similar race last season in Leopardstown. He’s very competitive but he just needs better ground. Whatever mark he’s going to get, even if he gets a couple of more pounds than he has here, he’ll be alright.”

One eye-catching entry is that of Sheamus in the Coral Cup. A winner four times, from August to November 2014 (two bumpers and two hurdles), he hasn’t been seen since. A return at Leopardstown tomorrow was still being considered two days ago.

“It would be his first run back after an injury. The timing of the race is perfect but the conditions aren’t ideal. He wants good ground and needs further than two mile and two but it’s just a nice race to start him off. If he goes well in that, he’ll take his chance in the Coral.”

Then there is Guitar Pete, who finished third in the 2014 Triumph Hurdle, 12 months after Our Conor’s success in the race, and won at Aintree a few weeks later. His chasing career hasn’t continued on that trajectory but Hughes is not losing faith.

“He’s in the two-mile handicap (Grand Annual) and if the ground is good he’ll take his chance. If the ground comes up heavy in Cheltenham we’ll give it a miss and we’ll all go to Fairyhouse!

“The ground has been a big factor in how he has been going. We did say we’d try him back over hurdles and we sent him to Cheltenham (for the Cleeve Hurdle). The ground wouldn’t have helped but I don’t think he stayed. Triumph Hurdle horses all seem to be stayers, and when he won in Aintree, you’d say he’s a real stayer the way he ran but his best form this year has been two miles, two miles one, so I don’t think he stays. He’ll be dropped right back in trip, he’s a fantastic jumper and he likes Cheltenham. If the ground is good he’ll take his chance in that handicap.”

Thunder And Roses has an entry in the Kim Muir but Hughes is leaning towards the Midlands National in Uttoxeter on Saturday. Whatever happens, a tilt at the Aintree Grand National is not on the agenda.

terrible mistake

“I’ll have to speak to Eddie O’Leary but we both think he didn’t jump well enough when he ran in the Becher to be heading there. With a clear round there, you’d have a better chance of gauging. But he made a terrible mistake and Bryan (Cooper) did well to stay on him. To me he didn’t take to the fences as well as I would have liked. And they can remember what happened last time. You spend the whole year preparing them for the one race and if they don’t take to them, you are gone.

“He’s an out-and-out stayer and I think four miles two would be perfect for him in Uttoxeter. We were second in it last year with Raz De Maree and I think it’s made for him. I really do.”

If he goes to Cheltenham, Hughes would love to reunite him with Katie Walsh, who rode him so brilliantly at Fairyhouse last Easter. Getting on well with Thunder And Roses is vital, as the eight-year-old likes to do things on his own terms.

“He has a mind of his own, which he showed when he ran in the Bobbyjo. He didn’t kill himself. He’s getting cute on us. He’s just one of those horses (but) he excels for Katie. She just suited him. At this stage, it’s whatever he wants to do but he’s got loads of ability.

“Over three miles two, I wouldn’t mind taking the chance in the Kim Muir. He didn’t look great last year in Cheltenham but his prep wasn’t great for it. It’s been good this year and he’s fit as a flea. It will depend on what Gigginstown want to do but he’s ready to go wherever. A pair of visors might just help to wake him up too.”

One horse definitely not crossing the Irish Sea is Nearly Nama’d, who has been Osborne Lodge’s top money-spinner this term, bagging two Fairyhouse handicap chases. Hughes has learned that she needs to be selective in her targets for the son of Millenary, who needs time between his races and thinks that he could make it in more exalted company.

“There’s more in him. He’s a horse that needs to be fresh. He won in Fairyhouse and went back and won the big (Dan Moore) handicap. He went in a Listed race in Thurles three weeks later and just didn’t sparkle. So he’s gone home for a break in Martinstown.

“He wouldn’t be a summer horse, he loves heavy ground but he needs to be fresh. It was six weeks between his two runs first time and three weeks between the second and third and it just wasn’t long enough for him. He’s been a great servant and he doesn’t owe us anything this season. He’s got loads of ability.”

Meanwhile, her three children David (16), Philip (13) and Alexandra (10) all have the bug. David is serving his apprenticeship with Roger Varian in England and while she misses her eldest, she is happy to see him pursue his dreams. Philip and Alexandra ride out in the morning before school. It sounds an idyllic upbringing.

“They don’t really have a choice. Muck in or be left at home!” says their mother, laughing. “They love it.”

Methods

Her father relished going to the sales almost as much as racing and Sandra feels she has recruited well too, although her methods were slightly different.

“Dad bought all his own ones but I was very mindful of the fact that I don’t have my Dad’s eye so I had the services of Peter and Ross Doyle at the sales this year and they bought fantastic horses. I was delighted with them. They’re a fantastic bunch.”

That’s the type of self-awareness that successful people possess. Recognise your strengths and your weaknesses, and surround yourself with people that are better in key areas than you are. Given what is housed in Osborne Lodge now, she is confident that she can trade punches with the heavyweights and land plenty of blows.

“You wouldn’t be in it if you weren’t competitive. And the dream is always there, for owners and trainers. Your dream is to get a good horse and, for a yard our size, you only need one or two good horses to keep competitive.

“It can be done. You don’t have to go out and spend €250-300,000 on horses. They can be bought cheaper and they can be competitive. Just give them a bit of time and have patience with them. That’s what it’s all about.”