Richard Johnson: Anzum win was crucial - but the big ones mean so much more now

Richard Johnson has singled out Anzum's astonishing win in the 1999 Stayers' Hurdle as being pivotal in his rise to the top, but has admitted he didn't appreciate the big victories back then like he does now.

Johnson was speaking to the Racing Post for an interview in Sunday's newspaper, in which he reflects on his wonderful career and reveals what the future might hold for him.

The 43-year-old had been champion conditional aged 18 in 1996 but had to wait three years for a breakthrough on the biggest stage, when Anzum famously ran down Le Coudray on the line having looked to be going nowhere for much of the race.

"He really set me up," said Johnson. "That was my first big winner on that sort of stage and to do so for David Nicholson at Cheltenham was amazing. You need a little bit of luck and things definitely fell into place for me then. He helped me progress to the next level."

Richard Johnson with Looks Like Trouble after winning the 2000 Gold Cup. 'Cheltenham fences are very well made and very well presented'Credit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Johnson then won his first Gold Cup in 2000 on Looks Like Trouble, soon followed by the 2002 Champion Chase on Flagship Uberalles and the 2003 Champion Hurdle on Rooster Booster.

"I was reasonably young when I rode the likes of Looks Like Trouble," he said, "and I thought it was the norm to win those big races. I then rode a lot of winners but the big horses proved harder to find. They're few and far between.

"When Native River won the Gold Cup two years ago, I made an extra effort to savour the occasion. The race went perfectly and it was a great duel between him and Might Bite. I definitely appreciate it more."

That wisdom has also come with having children, and Johnson added: "My children are a great distraction and they really put things in perspective. When I was younger I used to get down when I had a couple of bad weeks but now I'm in a better position to deal with it.

"My outlook has changed. I can be in bad form when I get home but by the time they have jumped on me or asked me to do something I've snapped out of it. As you get older you hopefully get wiser."

Read more from Richard Johnson in the Big Read, available to members from 6pm on Saturday or in Sunday's Racing Post newspaper. Join Members' Club here