Hanagan ready for hard slog

The Malton rider has a full book of eight rides at Redcar today as he attempts to extend his lead over a spirited Silvestre de Sousa who was flying back to the UK today after riding Mark Johnston’s Fox Hunt in the Melbourne Cup at 4am.

Despite flying to Australia and back in four days, Thirsk-based de Sousa was refusing to concede defeat as he embarks upon the busiest week of his young life.

The Brazilian intends to travel straight from London to Nottingham tomorrow for six scheduled rides, with Hanagan booked for five mounts at the East Midlands venue.

After the 3.05pm race, both fly to Kempton where Hanagan has six rides and de Sousa eight mounts under floodlights at the all-weather track, with the first race at 4.40pm.

On the 160 mark after seven rides at Wolverhampton yesterday produced a winner in the penultimate race on Gritstone, Hanagan had previously said that he would not be drawn into an end-of-season tussle after straining every sinew to deny Richard Hughes on the final day of the Flat season 12 months ago.

However, the prestige of being champion jockey clearly matters to the father-of-two and Yorkshire Post columnist who is only the third Northern rider to win the title.

That is why today’s Redcar meeting offers him a chance to turn his slender lead into a potentially unassailable one.

“It’s going to be a tough week but this just gives me a bit of a cushion,” said the champion after his Wolverhampton victory.

“I just need to keep going for a few more days but it’s going to be tough. I’ve had fantastic support from everybody.

“I know how hard Silvestre works and I’ll be glad to see him when he gets back. It’s fantastic for Northern racing but also racing as a whole. We need something good to focus on for a change.”

Determined to prove that last year’s triumph was not a fluke, Hanagan’s agent is already trying to secure the best possible rides at Doncaster on Saturday if the championship race goes to the wire.

Even though Hanagan’s retained trainer Richard Fahey has little ammunition left and Johnston’s Middleham yard is in fine form to boost de Sousa’s cause, winners are notoriously difficult to find at this time of year in competitive fields, when horses are past their peak.

However, there is not just the jockeys’ title at stake ahead of the 2011 Flat finale at Doncaster on Saturday; the Yorkshire Post and Racing For Change will hand over the Cock o’ the North cap which is traditionally awarded to the rider from this region with the most wins.

“I am riding Nottingham on Wednesday and Kempton in the evening and it’s going to be busy until Saturday,” said de Sousa after yesterday’s parade through Melbourne which traditionally precedes the ‘race that stops Australia’.

“Saturday is the end of the season and I want to ride as many winners as I can. If it happens it happens, if it’s not going to happen, I’m still delighted with the year I’ve had,” he said.

“It will be a relief to finish. I never put myself under pressure through the season but I’m starting to get tired now.”

So You Think is among Ryan Moore’s rides for the Aidan O’Brien stable in the Breeders’ Cup at Churchill Downs at the weekend.

The three-time British champion teams up with the globe-trotting five-year-old in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, further fuelling speculation that Moore might team up with O’Brien on a permanent basis next season.

Moore has four other rides for the Ballydoyle stable, though he does still ride Sea Moon for Sir Michael Stoute, his current boss.

Joseph O’Brien, the teenager’s son, will ride St Nicholas Abbey – the winner of the 2009 Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster – in the Turf.

Philip Hobbs believes Captain Chris will be fit enough to do himself justice when he reappears in the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter today.

The seven-year-old ended last term with Grade One wins in the Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham and the Ryanair Novice Chase at Punchestown.

And, while Hobbs is mindful that Captain Chris has to concede weight, jockey Richard Johnson is less perturbed.

He said: “He improved all last season. We know it’s a handicap and not going to be easy for him but it’s a nice race to start him in for his first run.”

It is a key day for Hobbs and Johnson; former top hurdler Menorah makes a long-awaited steeplechasing debut at Exeter.

David Pipe is in no rush to make big plans for Notus De La Tour following his most impressive chasing debut at Carlisle on Sunday under Tom Scudamore.

“We had him in at Exeter but we thought he’d be better going to Carlisle than taking on Menorah,” said Pipe. “He’s plenty quick enough for two miles and also showed he gets two-and-a-half miles well on a stiff track on Sunday, so we were delighted.”

Queen Mother Champion Chase winner Sizing Europe heads 10 possibles for the JNwine.com Champion Chase at Down Royal on Saturday.