Johnson brings up century on home turf
Richard Johnson reached 100 winners for the season when steering Arty Campbell to victory at Hereford yesterday.
The champion jump jockey took his career tally to 3,500 career winners only last month and he hit another landmark at his local course in the equestrianprojects.co.uk Handicap Hurdle.
However, it was not entirely straightforward as Arty Campbell (11-4 favourite) tried to duck out at the final flight after going into the lead at the penultimate hurdle.
Johnson quickly got his mount concentrating on the job in hand again and Bernard Llewellyn’s charge regained control from long-time leader Stonemadforspeed to score by three and a quarter lengths.
“He was travelling so well I thought, turning in, I’d let him bowl along. He had a good look but, as soon as the other horse came to him, picked up well again,” Johnson told At The Races.
“It’s fantastic to get to 100 again, especially here at Hereford. There are a lot of people I know here today and my mum and dad are here. It’s nice they’ve come for a day out.”
Johnson has been champion jump jockey for the last three seasons after being runner-up to Tony McCoy on 16 occasions. He leads the field again after going to the top of the table at the beginning of the month when nosing ahead of his rival Harry Skelton, who had set a strong pace during the summer months.
Dual Champion Hurdle winner Buveur D’Air has undergone “a routine wind operation” during his summer break, trainer Nicky Henderson has revealed.
The seven-year-old ended last season unbeaten in four starts, winning the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle and the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton before following up his 2017 victory in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Buveur D’Air has now racked up ten wins on the bounce, with his last defeat coming at the hands of stablemate Altior in the 2016 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.
Henderson reports Buveur D’Air to be in fine shape following a break at owner J P McManus’ Martinstown Stud in Ireland, and a return trip to Newcastle on December 1 is the target. The trainer revealed: “Everything is going well with Buveur D’Air and he is on track for another crack at the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle before, all being well, taking in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton.
“I’ve been very happy with him since he came back from Martinstown, where he enjoyed plenty of fun with [threetimes Champion Hurdle winner] Istabraq, before returning to Seven Barrows, where he underwent a routine wind operation ahead of coming back into full work.
“It’s nothing serious and has not effected his normal routine one iota,” added Henderson, who also has plans mapped out for reigning twomile chase champion Altior, with the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown on December 8 the ultimate pre-Christmas goal, although he might reappear at Cheltenham next month.
Henderson added: “Altior is in great shape and I couldn’t be happier with him”
Henderson also handles Might Bite, who won the King George VI Chase at Kempton last term but had to settle for second behind Native River in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March.
The Seven Barrows trainer said: “The Betfair Chase [at Haydock on November 24] is the likely starting point for Might Bite.”