Johnson the champ again

PRIZE GUY: Champion jockey Richard Johnson RICHARD JOHNSON will be 41 in July but he has no intention of putting the brakes on his quest for winners.

He was officially crowned champion jockey for the third consecutive year at Sandown yesterday after finishing with 176 winners – 34 clear of Brian Hughes.

And he warned his rivals he will be going all out to make it four in a row next season.

He said: “I’m delighted and you never get tired of winning it. I’m not even sure it has sunk in that I’ve won it once, let alone three times.

“It has been another fantastic year but it has been slightly different in that Philip Hobbs has had a frustrating time with his horses and we have had slightly fewer winners together.

“That put a bit more pressure on me but I’ve had the support from the likes of Tim Vaughan and Henry Daly and this year Olly Murphy and Warren Greatrex have been new on the roster. To have that back-up has been amazing and hopefully it has worked quite smoothly. A lot of that is down to agent Dave Roberts, who does an amazing job.

“Being champion jockey, I feel very honoured and privileged. It is not going to be easy to defend but now that I have won it for the past three seasons I don’t want to lose it.”

With no jumping until next weekend, he added: “It is lovely to have a few days off and myself and my wife have a few days away planned.

“But May is a busy time as there will be plenty of runners out and on Monday I will be looking at the five-day entries with Dave to see what is running at Uttoxeter and Hexham.

“I still love going racing and I get as massive a thrill and buzz from riding a winner at Hexham on a Monday or winning the Gold Cup.”