Hughes harbouring Classic hopes for Value Added

Richard Hughes feels Value Added’s defeat in a Newbury novice will put her on the right path towards a Classic next season.

The promising Iffraaj filly turned heads when beaten a neck by race-fit rival Opera Forever in deep ground at Newbury on Saturday.

The King’s colours were carried by William Buick in the mile race, with the first two drawing a couple of lengths clear of their rivals.

“She is a very nice filly,” said Hughes. “I was in a conundrum whether to run a filly like that first time out in that (heavy) ground.

“It was either that or go to Newmarket over seven (furlongs) over those humps and bumps, and I said I’d rather bring her down the road to Newbury and hope to goodness I would get away with it in that ground.

“She ran a blinder – the best filly in the race, I felt.

“She came up against a winner who’d had a run and if William had another go at it, he probably would have won. He felt he was going that well and let her reach the front, and then she just got caught.”

Upper Lambourn handler Hughes, who is no stranger to Classic success, having ridden the winners of the 1000 Guineas, Oaks and Irish 2,000 Guineas, has decided to train Value Added with Epsom in mind next season.

“She is finished now for the year and in hindsight for her, although it is lovely to win, it was probably the best thing that could happen to her,” he added.

“If she starts the spring in a novice, carrying a 7lb penalty, you could have the Oaks winner beating you and giving her 7lb.

“So, I will put her into a mile-and-a-quarter maiden next spring and then maybe one of those Classic trials.

“I am training her as an Oaks filly. I’m very excited about her. I rode her myself before she ran and I felt she was a mile-and-a-half filly.

“I asked William, when he got off her, if she would get a mile and a half. She is by (speed influence sire) Iffraaj at the end of the day, although she is from a good Aga Khan family, and he said if she gets a mile and a half, she’ll be good.

“She ran well in spite of the ground, rather than because of it – good ones normally do. They don’t like it, but they get on with it and they get through it.

“I don’t want to hype her up too much, but she couldn’t have pleased us any more.”