Hughes claimed the HRNSW Rising Stars Championship with the Roy Roots jnr-trained Marty Major on Saturday night at Menangle. The one-off race replaced the traditional week-long Rising Stars tour, which was cancelled because of COVID-19.

However, the win seals Hughes' place in next year's series and he showed his delight at the finish line.

"It was my first Saturday city winner, so it was just good to win it," he said.

Marty Major led easily from gate five and was strong late to win by four metres.

"He was very fast off the gate and he was very tough," Hughes said. "At the top of the straight, before I pulled the plugs, I thought he was going to stop because he started to come back to me. It felt like he'd had enough but he just kept bowling along."

Hughes, 18, edged out Tom Ison for the Newcastle drivers' title and had more than 100 winners last season as the main driver for champion trainer Clayton Harmey.

However, he and partner Jemma Coney have left the Cessnock stables and are moving to Tamworth where he has a job at the abattoir. Hughes hopes to stay in the sport as a driver and later as a trainer.

"It's a big change," he said. "Working at the stables was a bit like seven days a week and a bit full-on, so I thought I'd do it as more of a hobby and enjoy it a bit more. Harness racing is up and down, but with a job it's sort of set.

"Tamworth have stables you can rent so hopefully I can have one or two and maybe drive a bit."

Meanwhile, Harmey-trained Big Black Diamond ($101) was third in the group 1 3YO colts and geldings Breeders Challenge final.

The performance was the best of the Hunter-trained hopes in the group 1 deciders and capped a successful weekend for Harmey, who had a winning double at Newcastle on Friday night with Straddie and Im Quick As Fire, which were driven by Cameron Hart.