I THOUGHT the bookmakers were a bit premature in pricing Richard Hughes up as favourite to win the jockeys’ championship a couple of days ago as I thought it would go down to the wire. And then I read on Friday morning that Ryan Moore’s final domestic ride could be October 22nd, given international commitments, 17 days before the season ends, which would make it a formality for Hughesy.

I am a big fan of both, and guess I know Ryan a little better, given I saw a fair bit of Ryan when I was starting out and based with his father, Gary. He helped me along the way, and would point out little things that might need correcting. He was also instrumental in getting me work at Satish Seemar’s in Dubai where Ryan was based when he was around the same age.