F EATURE TRIBUTE
As jockey Richard Johnson bows out of the sport at the pinnacle of his career, we look at his meteoric rise to racing stardom Richard Johnson OBE: A career to remember
T he 2020/21 Jump season was unforgettable for many Grand National, to Rachael Blackmore’s victories at both meetings. But just as unforgettable is the riding career of Richard Johnson OBE, who hung up his silks and saddle for the last time in April. As a rider, he conquered the sport: after long playing bridesmaid to Sir AP McCoy in the Jockey’s Championship, ‘Dickie’ nally took the prize in 2016 and went on to land the honour of Champion Jump Jockey in 2017, 2018 and 2019. For hard work and determination, nobody deserved the prize more, and those four Champion Jockey titles were certainly well earnt. He regularly travelled the length and breadth of the country from Carlisle to Exeter, where he rode 195 winners, and everywhere in-between to be rst past the post. A gentleman in and out of the saddle, Johnson rode over 3,500 winners across his illustrious reasons, from no crowds able to attend The Festival™ or Randox
but also by the very best of his peers in the weighing room. McCoy wrote: “Sometimes, those who challenge us the most, teach us the best. You did both to me for over 20 years – thanks buddy. When you go home tonight, look in the mirror and you’ll see what a champion looks like.” Similar words were posted by a host of jockeys, including Harry Skelton, Tom Scudamore and Aidan Coleman, in recognition of a man who went right to the very top of his sport. Along with Native River, he created fantastic partnerships with horses like Flagship Uberalles, with whom he won the 2002 Queen Mother Champion Chase; 2003 Champion Hurdle hero Rooster Booster; and Balthazar King, who dominated the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase at The Festival. However, his best partnership was with trainer Philip Hobbs. The pair became a formidable force over the past three decades, sharing 1,272 winners at a remarkable strike rate of 20 per cent. Johnson rode over 6,300 times for Hobbs and gave him the majority of his current 19 winners at the Cheltenham Festival. As the new season dawns, the race to be Champion Jockey will start again, with Skelton, Hughes et al all aiming to nd their inner Richard Johnson. The
and with an attitude that says: “It isn’t over till it’s over.” Many a jockey would have given up on Native River as they turned for home with Might Bite on his hindquarters, but Johnson was relentless. Just like his jockey, Native River duly responded when the going got tough, rallying over the last to pull clear up the hill and win by four-and-a-half lengths. You get the impression that if Native River could speak, he would tell us that he couldn’t have won the Gold Cup without Richard Johnson on his back. He might not be the only horse to tell us that either, because Johnson had the unique knack of being able to lift a horse home – a skill he shared with his old nemesis, AP. In fact, McCoy tweeted a great message to Johnson on the news of his retirement that shows how well thought of he was, not only by racing fans,
career, including 23 at the Cheltenham Festival. Two of those came in the WellChild Cheltenham Gold Cup, rst in 2000 with Looks Like Trouble for Noel Chance, now his father-in-law, and then in a battle of the ages against Might Bite, coming out on top with Native River for Colin Tizzard in 2018. The victory on Native River epitomised what Johnson was like as a jockey: gritty
racing world will gallop on, but with some very big boots to ll in the
weighing room – if they ever can be. Happy retirement, Richard Johnson!
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