Hughes races to century of winners following an impressive double

Reigning champion Brian Hughes became the first British jump jockey to reach 100 winners this season following a double on exciting pair Fiveandtwenty and Bareback Jack on the second day of the track's Cheltenham trials fixture.

Hughes, the north's first champion jockey in 40 years last season, is setting a strong pace in defence of his crown, with his lead over Harry Cobden now at 16 winners (100-84) after that rival clawed one back with victory in the closing 2m6f handicap hurdle on Get The Appeal.

The Donald McCain-trained Fiveandtwenty brought up the first leg of the double when maintaining her unbeaten record since switching from the Flat with a third course-and-distance success in the Scottish Triumph Hurdle.

We Have A Dream won this Listed contest three years ago before going on to claim Grade 1 glory in the Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle at Aintree, and the Middleham Park Racing-owned filly could follow the same route.

"You can't fault her as she's come on with every run and jumps very slickly," said Hughes. "The first two runs came quite close together and Donald has freshened her right up and she was a lot more relaxed today.

"She's an exciting filly on the up, but she had a good level of form on the Flat anyway. We're northern people and we're thinking Aintree, which will suit her as will the better ground."

McCain and Hughes also combined to win the Scottish Supreme Novices' Hurdle with Bareback Jack, who capped a great week for Tim Leslie.

The owner, who enjoyed memorable days with Peddlers Cross and Overturn, reached 200 winners during the week and also struck at the track on Saturday with Gaelik Coast.

Bareback Jack (Brian Hughes, right) and Third Time Lucki fight it out in the Scottish Supreme Novices' Hurdle with the former coming out on topCredit: Grossick Racing

Paddy Power cut Bareback Jack to 20-1 (from 25) for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle – a race McCain won with Cinders And Ashes in 2012 – after also taking his unbeaten record to three.

"He's a horse we've always liked and that ground was sticky enough for him, but Mr Leslie was keen to get runs into him," said Hughes.

"He's not a natural front-runner and he wasn't slick over the last, but he's got a fair engine. I'll leave future targets to Donald, but he's a lovely horse."

Aintree more likely for smart novice

Threeunderthrufive, who landed the Scottish Stayers Novices' Hurdle for Paul Nicholls, was another winner more likely to miss Cheltenham in favour of waiting for Aintree.

Nicholls' assistant Harry Derham said: "He's a really progressive horse, who jumped nicely and probably won with a little bit in hand.

"He has entries at Cheltenham, but there's a chance we could go to Aintree for the Grade 1 novice hurdle over three miles. Paul would like to go to Aintree with him and thinks he's going to be a really smart chaser next season."

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