Top jockey had to wait at the gates of heaven but title can never be taken away
Richard Forristal speaks to the rider finally crowned after weeks of limbo
Quite what took so long is unclear but, three weeks after the BHA terminated the jumps season, Brian Hughes was on Monday finally granted the right to be called champion jockey.
That it was taking so long for his achievement to be officially recognised had been begun to grate a little.
Once the announcement came on St Patrick's Day that British racing was suspended until the end of April, the jumps season was in effect over. A fortnight later, the authorities in Ireland followed suit and last week the various champions there were all duly anointed.
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