Four-some display from Johnson lifts Warwick gloom

Champion jockey Richard Johnson lit up a damp and gloomy Warwick on Wednesday with a sparkling four-timer to move 33 winners ahead of nearest rival Brian Hughes and close in on a second title, writes David Hucker.
Richard Johnson was celebrating a four-timer at Warwick on Wednesday.Richard Johnson was celebrating a four-timer at Warwick on Wednesday.
Richard Johnson was celebrating a four-timer at Warwick on Wednesday.

Johnson, whose partnership with Somerset-based trainer Philip Hobbs is one of the longest in racing, finished runner-up to AP McCoy on no less than 16 occasions but, with the multiple champion retiring, deservedly took the jockeys’ crown in 2016.

Equalling his total of 235 winners was always going to be a tough challenge and, although not so prolific this season, Johnson notched his 164th success on former Irish point-to-point winner Robbin’hannon in the opening Executive Hire Show Maiden Hurdle

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With the morning rain having got into the ground, the two miles and five furlongs trip proved tiring work for the ten runners but, having gone to the front after the first flight, Robbin’hannon jumped like an old hand on his racecourse debut and was always holding Fortified Bay, who ran on well after struggling to go the pace down the back straight

Multiculture was a red-hot favourite to follow up his Wincanton win in the following GES Novices’ Hurdle over two miles and, although Fulgus kept him company in the early part of the race, he had no more than a canter round to score in the well-known yellow and black colours of Terry Warner and make it a double for the champion and trainer Hobbs.

Just three faced the starter in the richest race of the day, the £8,000 JCB Stephen Allday Perpetual Plate Steeplechase and Johnson was on the favourite Krackatoa King for his neighbour Kerry Lee.

Second in the market was Towering, who had run with promise on his chasing debut at Doncaster, only to disappoint when pulled up at Taunton, and he ran another lifeless race here, failing to complete again.

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Jumping to the front seven fences out, Krackatoa King went further and further way, coming home a long way clear of Timon’s Tara for the easiest success of the afternoon.

The umbrellas were up again as the runners covered the two miles and five furlongs of the Ricoh Arena Mares’ Handicap Hurdle, with Spellbound and the Johnson-ridden Sparkling River going head-to-head from the off.

Course winner Sparkling River was always jumping just the better of the two and she forged clear after the third-last flight for a convincing success to make it four on a day to remember for Johnson.

The Executive Hire News Handicap Chase was the longest race of the afternoon and, with the rain having given way to blue skies and sunshine, it took 25-1 shot The Last Bridge a full eight-and-a-half minutes to cover the three miles and five furlongs and beat the only other finisher, Veauce De Sivola.

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