Richard Hughes stays to fight for title

The Flat jockeys' title race is set to go down to the wire as Richard Hughes has decided to remain in England this weekend, forsaking a chance to ride in the Breeders' Cup.

Hughes trailed leader Paul Hanagan by three ahead of today's fixtures with just four days to the end of the season and the pair will lock horns at Kempton Park this evening.

Hughes was due to be on board Paco Boy in Saturday's Breeders' Cup Mile at Churchill Downs, in America, but his agent Tony Hind said: "He has decided to stay. If he doesn't win the title, it won't be for the want of trying. It has been very hard getting him on winners and at one stage he was 22 behind."

Ryan Moore will come in for the ride on Richard Hannon's Paco Boy.

Hughes was booked for six rides at Nottingham this afternoon and another six at Kempton this evening. Hanagan has eight mounts at Kempton.

Meanwhile, Paddy Power Gold Cup favourite Long Run is going to take all the beating in the first big jump race of the season, according to jockey Sam Waley-Cohen.

The weights were announced today and the Nicky Henderson-trained Long Run will shoulder 11st 6lb. Poquelin carries top weight of 11st 12lb and Great Endeavour, the winner of a 2m 5f Grade Three handicap at Cheltenham last March, is allotted 10st 4lb.

Waley-Cohen said: "That's a perfectly respectable racing weight, especially as I can claim. In all of the previous races that I've ridden him, I haven't been able to, so that's a big boost.