RICHARD Hughes bows out of the saddle with six rides at Glorious Goodwood on Saturday and with it leaves a host of memorable moments that have illuminated a career that yielded three jockeys' championships.

From riding his first winner in 1988 to claiming Group Ones around the globe, Hughes, who is based in Marlborough, has pretty much done it all and will now look to reach the top in the training ranks, emulating his late father, Dessie.

Hughes, 42, said: "I love racing, it's in my blood. No matter what I was doing, if I was driving the box I'd still like it. I was very lucky to be a successful jockey and I want to go out on top. I look forward to my next career as a trainer and I'm very lucky to walk into it.

"Plenty of people have said they will send me horses, it's not set in stone but I'll take their word they will send me some horses and I'm happy with that. I'll probably start off with 10 or 15 older horses, the horses in training sale is not until end of October.

"There's been a sale already and we've managed to get a few there.

"I hope to end up with about 60 by Christmas."

As one of the tallest in the weighing room, Hughes would often draw comparison with the ultimate 'Long Fellow' - Lester Piggott. And there is no doubt as to who the rider's racing hero was.

He said: "Lester Piggott has always been my racing idol. He was always ultra-confident, stylish, strong, and as a tall jockey - like myself - his backside was so high in the air that it almost pierced the clouds.

"When I was younger I kept scrapbooks detailing his seasons and big-race wins, and the walls of my room were full of pictures of Lester, cut out from the racing pages of the newspapers - he was one of the main reasons I became a jockey."

On the subject of jockeys, Hughes is keen to not only utilise the top names for his future runners but also give youth a chance.

He said: "I'll use the best available, we all know who they are, and if I have a few young lads in the yard I'll try to get them going - I got a chance when I was younger and I'd like to do the same.

"These lads coming through, if we don't look after these apprentices who else will?"

Hughes has fond memories of his spell riding over jumps, during which he won the Irish Champion Hurdle on Cockney Lad for Noel Meade in 1997.

He recalled: "I loved it. I had it in place so if my weight didn't hold I'd have something to fall back on. The only thing was when I rode in the winter time I put on a lot of muscle around my shoulders, so it was quite hard to get the weight off.

"They were good days and makes you appreciate the Flat a lot more."

He progressed through the ranks to land the prized job of retained rider to Prince Khalid Abdullah, and while that role eventually came to an end, there were plenty of glory days along the way with the likes of Oasis Dream and Passage Of Time.

Hughes told At The Races: "Oasis Dream was a great horse, a lovely kind horse and that's why he's probably such a good stallion. He has a lovely nature and a lot of class.

"I also rode Nebraska Tornado, she was probably the best filly I ever rode. I remember I rode her in the Moulin one day when there were about 12 Group One winners - I asked Andre Fabre what should I do and he said 'do what you like, she'll win' .

"The (Abdullah) years were great years, I went from riding for Richard Hannon (father-in-law) as a freelance and a bit for Mick Channon at the time and all of a sudden I had this wonderful job, I grasped it and loved every minute of it.

"When I left Ireland, I went to Richard first and since 1994 I was working for him and I got married to Lizzie, of course. Canford Cliffs was the icing on the cake and the first time I rode him I thought he was the best horse I ever rode.

"If Oasis Dream got the mile it might have been a bit different, but he didn't and Canford Cliffs was just a wonderful horse. We'll probably never see another Coventry winner like it. He actually ran away with me in the Coventry and still won."

Asked what kind of horse away from the obvious gave him real pleasure, Hughes said: "(Stewards' Cup winner) Harmonic Way was a great thrill.

"I rode him at Newbury one day and I told Roger (Charlton) I had the key to him - drop him out last and pass as many horses on the bridle as he could."

It is fitting in many ways that Hughes should call it a day at Goodwood, a personal favourite of his.

He explained: "(My favourite tracks are) Ascot, Goodwood and probably Windsor - it's been a very lucky track, it wouldn't have been if I hadn't been riding for Richard Hannon on an odds-on two-year-old favourite nearly every Monday night. That was a huge help."

Hughes kicks off his last day in the saddle with Barnet Fair for David Nicholls in the opening Qatar Stewards' Sprint Stakes.

He then teams up with Brian Meehan's Senrima in the Educate A Child Stakes before having his final Group One ride aboard John Gosden's Bright Approach in the Qatar Nassau Stakes.

It is then the turn of Ninjago in the Qatar Stewards' Cup and Hairdryer in the Qatar EBF Stallions Maiden Stakes, with both horses hailing from the Hannon yard.

The end will come on Fox Trotter for Meehan in the Qatar Stakes over seven furlongs.

A Hannon winner after such a lengthy and successful partnership would be the perfect finale.

Richard Hannon senior will certainly be sorry to see him hang up his saddle.

He said: "He's ridden a lot of good horses for us. We had lots of good moments. He was a great jockey and it's a shame he's retiring as I would say there's more in him. He'll be 9st 10lb next week!"