A New ride for Johnson as Hatch has tumble

CHAMPION jockey Richard Johnson rides The New One in the stanjames.com International Hurdle at Cheltenham after Ryan Hatch took a heavy fall on Cogry yesterday. Hatch was last night being assessed in hospital in Bristol for possible back and sternum injuries. The New One is twice a winner of the International Hurdle but runs this time after attempts to embark on a novice chase campaign have so far been denied. Nigel Twiston-Davies’ son Willy said: ‘We all think he will run a big race and the lad who rides him will be gutted if he is not in the first two. It is just a big ask to give eight pound to My Tent Or Yours.’ Flat jockey Willy is taking a winter break from riding to help his father but plans to return to action in the Spring. ‘I’ll be riding for Roger Charlton and Alan King, same as last season,’ he said. ‘But they don’t have many runners on the All-Weather. I didn’t want to ride on the All Weather. ‘I don’t like going there for just the odd ride. It sours you. I love riding, there is no point making it a job and hating it.’ Cogry fell in the Unicoin Group Handicap Chase in which Colin Tizzard-trained Theatre Guide (Paddy Brennan) snatched victory by a nose from Perfect Candidate. To accentuate the agony of the runner-up’s jockey Conor Shoemark, he picked up a 15-day whip ban starting on Boxing Day and a £200 fine. Tizzard, who completed a double when Pingshou (Aidan Coleman) won the concluding Novices’ Hurdle, said the chances of his novice Thistlecrack running in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day could be increased by the presence in the field of 2015 Gold Cup winner Coneygree. His running style would make the race a big stamina test, playing to Thistlecrack’s strengths.