Champion jockey Brian Hughes makes his comeback from injury on Perth Gold Cup Day with two rides, including feature race contender The Real Whacker.
Three-time champion jockey Brian Hughes returns to competitive action at Perth Racecourse on Sunday after a three-month absence following a broken leg.
Hughes will partner Cosmic Soul and stable star The Real Whacker for Yorkshire trainer Patrick Neville, with the latter lining up in the £34,000 Perth Gold Cup, the highlight of a competitive afternoon at Scone.
"The Real Whacker has been a superstar for the yard and Brian won the Charlie Hall Chase on him a couple of years ago," said Neville. "They were also second together in a decent race over hurdles at Perth last autumn. It would be great to give him a comeback winner."
The Perth Gold Cup looks one of the strongest renewals in recent years, with Mickey Bowen's Statuario aiming to continue his excellent record at the track. The popular chaser is seeking a third consecutive Perth victory and a remarkable eighth career success at the venue.
Champion jockey Sean Bowen, who rode more winners at Perth than any other track during his title-winning season, takes the ride and is bidding for a fifth success in the prestigious race.
The powerful Dan and Harry Skelton team will be represented by Riskintheground, while local hopes are carried by Walk On Quest, who arrives in form after a comfortable victory at Kelso for Lucinda Russell and Michael Scudamore.
Earlier on the card, the Perth Silver Cup promises to be another fiercely competitive contest. Neil Mulholland, successful at Perth as both a trainer and jockey, saddles Hypotenus, who will be looking to reverse recent form with Newtown Rambler.
Trained by Adrian Keatley, Newtown Rambler finished ahead of Hypotenus over the same course and distance just 25 days ago and looks set to be a major contender once again.
With the return of one of Britain's leading jockeys and two competitive feature handicaps, Perth Gold Cup Day promises to deliver an exciting afternoon of racing.
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Important Info
Date: Sunday 7 June 2026
Gates Open: 11.30am
First Race: 2.07pm
Last Race: 5.37pm
Live music in The Barn from Strike A Chord: 5.45pm until 6.45pm
Shuttle Bus from Perth
Depart Concert Hall: 11.15am - 1.45pm
Depart Racecourse: 5.20pm - 7.00pm
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