RICHARD HUGHES has effectively being crowned champion Flat jockey for a third successive season after title rival Ryan Moore ended his domestic season prematurely this week.

Hughes, based near Marlborough, made a slow start to the season after missing the early weeks due to a race-fall in Dubai.

But he has relentlessly reeled in long-time leader Moore, often riding at two meetings a day, and currently lies five winners ahead in the championship race.

Moore cried off two rides at Lingfield on Tuesday due to illness and his agent Tony Hind insisted he would not be riding in Britain for the remainder of the season.

Hind said: "Ryan’s going to Australia for the Cox Plate this weekend.

"After that it is on to America for the Breeders' Cup, back to Australia for the Melbourne Cup, and then there are big races in Japan and Hong Kong."

A relieved Hughes said: "I wouldn't say I've been battling with Ryan, but it still feels sweet after the doctor told me I could be out for months when I was injured in Dubai.

"Because of that, I started a month behind everyone else and I didn't think I'd be able to catch Ryan.

"Winning this obviously means more to me than Ryan but it still feels sweet, especially winning it for a third time.

"There have been so many good days this year but if I had to pick one out I'd say Toronado coming back and winning first time out at Royal Ascot was very sweet. That was a great training performance. It helps massively that I have a very powerful stable behind me."

Hughes is stable jockey for Wiltshire-based champion trainer Richard Hannon jnr, his brother-in-law, who took over from his father, Richard, at the start of the year.

The jockey said: "It's been a great first year for Richard.

"It could have been very hard for him to step into Richard snr's shoes but for him to be champion as well makes it a great year.

"The stable has evolved more than changed, I think, and the team there do a fantastic job.''