A range of elements make for success as a trainer, but the two that Riccarton horseman Kevin Hughes points to as indispensable are loyal owners and the horses that come with them.
These past few days 81-year-old Hughes has had cause to reflect on his training career after saddling the maiden galloper Russian Fable at South Island headquarters last weekend for his 500th winner. First licensed when based in Palmerston North in 1989 and in partnership for the past decade with his wife Pam, Hughes has trained at Riccarton Park since 1992.
When they made the move south they had just a handful of horses with which to ply their trade, but through dedication and making the most of their opportunities, they have established themselves with results and respect.
“We had only four horses when we came down here,” Hughes told RaceForm earlier this week. “It was a matter of proving ourselves and when I look back, I think we’ve done okay.
“But we couldn’t have done it without loyal owners. Russian Fable is typical, she’s owned by a long-time supporter, Nigel Babbage, and he’s just one of a whole lot of good people who have put their horses with us.
“In fact I’d have to say we’ve been a bit spoilt with owners when I think of people like Barry Thomas, Wendy and Don Pye, Rodger Finlay, good friends of ours Sandra Townsend and Brian Collins, and so many others.”
Hughes admits that often it’s only when stable members have finished racing that they’re fully appreciated, horses such as Maybe Miami, Crystal Duke, Emily Margaret, Son of Zach, Our Premonition, Aussieaussieaussie and Carnival.
“No disrespect to any of those horses or the people connected to them – and others too – but you have to think hard to remember them all,” Hughes added. “The most we might have got up to at any time was about 20 – that was when we had half a dozen jumpers – but it’s become too difficult finding the people to do the work with them.”
In earlier years Pam managed that side of the Hughes operation, which unearthed their absolute favourite, the remarkable little gelding Eric The Bee. In a career spanning nine years on racecourses as far apart as Riccarton, Wingatui and Ellerslie, Belmont in New York and Merano in Italy, Eric The Bee won 12 of his 76 starts, including the Grand National Hurdle and Steeplechase on his home course.
“To begin with I raced him with a couple of other guys, then after he had won the (1998) Grand National Hurdle we sold him to Michael Watt, a New Zealander with business interests all around the world,” said Hughes. “Michael had a wide vision and the following year he asked us to take the horse to the Northern Hemisphere, beginning with a steeplechase in New York on the Belmont Stakes card, then on to Europe.”
Eric The Bee was ridden at Belmont Park by champion National Hunt jockey AP McCoy, carrying 72 kilograms into fifth on an inner turf track Hughes describes as “concrete with grass on it”. On the other side of the Atlantic he finished seventh in a hurdle at Merano, after which he was spelled before joining the stable of master Irish trainer Dermot Weld.
“Michael never did things by halves and he treated us very well; we travelled to some wonderful places in Europe and had a great time,” recalls Hughes.
After two unplaced steeplechase starts in France, time was called on Eric The Bee’s northern odyssey and much to his original trainer’s relief, he returned to New Zealand. It was another year before he regained winning form, scoring second-up on the flat at Riccarton in the autumn of 2002 and then twice over hurdles, once over country and then being set for the Grand National double.
He had to settle for second in the Grand National Hurdle, beaten a neck when conceding five kilograms to the winner Lucky Tip, but three days later in his first raceday test over the Riccarton country, more than made amends with a 12-length victory.
The following winter Eric The Bee went north to run third in the Great Northern Hurdle behind fellow Cantabrian Narousa, and at 12 years old the curtain came down on his career with a gallant second to Cuchulainn in the Grand National Steeplechase.
“He was very, very special,” says Hughes with unbridled affection. “Black Eagle, who won the Waikato and Wellington Steeplechases, was a very fast jumper, but Eric – he was only a tick over 15 hands yet so classy and so brave and tough.
“The best thing was that he stayed sound the whole way through and after he retired Pam hunted him till he was 20 years old.”
Hughes, who served 15 years on the Canterbury Jockey Club committee, concedes that these days he and his wife prefer the quieter life that goes with training a smaller team, but there’s no consideration being given to pulling stumps completely.
“We’ve got seven in the racing string and at this stage they’ll all be lining up at Ashburton next week. Beyond that we’ve got a bunch of owners to look after and while they’re keen, so are we.”
