Richard Hughes has revealed that winning his third successive champion jockey title feels "sweet" after overcoming injury at the start of the season.

In March, Hughes broke his back in a fall in Dubai, but despite doctors initially ruling him out for three months, he returned within one to join the race to win the title that he has won the past two campaigns.

He had been going head-to-head with Ryan Moore, but after Moore announced that he would sit out the remainder of the season, that handed victory to the Irishman.

The 41-year-old is quoted by BBC Sport as saying: "To be champion jockey for a third time is great.

"I wouldn't say I've been battling with Ryan, but it feels sweet after the doctor told me that I could be out for months when I was injured in Dubai.

"Because of that, I started a month behind everyone else."

Hughes has currently won 160 of his 897 rides during 2014.