RACEGOERS at Salisbury will get one final opportunity to watch Champion Flat Jockey Richard Hughes in the saddle on Saturday evening.

Hughes, who recently announced that he would be retiring from jockeying on August 1,

has three rides on Saturday’s card at the Netherhampton Course.

The first, Jayjinski, runs in The Bathwick Tyres British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes for trainer Richard Hannon.

The duo then team up again in the following Kenneth Quested Drayson Memorial Maiden with Holland Park, before Hughes signs off at Salisbury for Brendan Powell on Rideonastar in The T&M Glass Handicap Stakes.

Richard Hughes has been a regular feature at Salisbury racecourse over the past 21 years, riding his first winner in 1994 aboard High Typha and regularly finishing as the track’s leading jockey.

He has ridden 171 winners from 860 rides to date, which is an impressive strike-rate of 20 per cent.

Looking ahead to the evening, clerk of the course Jeremy Martin said: "We are delighted that Richard will be riding at Salisbury one final time this Saturday evening, before his retirement in just over one week’s time. All the Salisbury staff and directors wish Richard the very best in his new career, and would like to thank him for his support of Salisbury as our leading jockey of recent years. We look forward to welcoming him back with his first runners as a racehorse trainer before too long.”

Hughes will soon embark on his next career as a racehorse trainer from his new base at Stockbridge and hopes to have his first runners in the autumn.

Some sixty two runners have been declared for Saturday’s seven-race card.

The feature race of the evening is The £12,000 Bathwick Tyres Handicap Stakes which has attracted a select field of eight runners.

Gates open at 3pm and the first race is at 5.15pm with the music set to finish at 10.30pm. Tickets will be available to purchase on the day for all enclosures.