Still hungry: Richard Johnson trailing by 21 but still up for fourth title

Three-time champion Richard Johnson insisted on Tuesday he was as fired up as ever for another jump jockeys' title and said he was unconcerned at the big lead rival Harry Skelton has built up.

Johnson was a 2-5 chance for a fourth Stobart-sponsored championship when the new campaign began in May, but he was 21 wins behind Skelton on 29 after Tuesday's evening meeting at Stratford and had been pushed out to as big as 10-11 with William Hill.

Skelton, who completed a remarkably rapid half-century at Stratford when winning the 2m½f maiden hurdle on Hatcher, is a top-priced 13-8 with bet365 and BoyleSports, having started the season a general 5-1.

His quickfire run to 50 compares favourably with the 30 winners he reached by July 3 last year (when Johnson was on 36), but is still adrift of the pace Sir Anthony McCoy set in 2014 when the 20-time champion was on 68 by July 3 en route to his fastest 100.

Johnson, aged 40 and 12 years Skelton's senior, said: "Of course I'd rather be ahead of Harry than 21 behind, but the season is only two months old and there's a long, long way to go.

"I promise you nothing's changed. When you've got one [championship] you want two; when you've got two you want three; and when you've got three you want a fourth as much as you wanted the first. I'm still just as competitive and I'll be trying as hard as ever to get back in front."

He added: "I ride for a lot of strong trainers in Philip Hobbs, Warren Greatrex, Henry Daly, Olly Murphy and Tim Vaughan, and this just isn't their time of year, whereas Dan [Skelton, Harry's brother and main supporter] has been absolutely flying and they've made a fantastic start.

"Harry has certainly given me something to aim at, but it's a long season and it's not a two-horse race. The most important thing is to stay in one piece and keep trying to ride winners."

Johnson's third title was won with 176 winners – well short of his best of score of 235 – but Hobbs, who has traditionally been his main supporter, had an uncharacteristically thin season, with the usual 100+ winners down to 63. Whatever ailed the Hobbs team then has hopefully been eradicated, and that gives Johnson extra hope.

Johnson, who said he was as motivated now as when endlessly chasing McCoy for the title (he was runner-up 16 times), said: "The most important thing for me is for Philip's team to be back to full health. Philip could never quite put his finger on the problem, but he had a frustrating time last season with a virus or bug or something. He's usually so consistent but it was never going smoothly.

"The horses have had a really good summer break and those that are running are doing well. Leapaway won a valuable handicap hurdle at Cartmel at the weekend and you couldn't have imagined that three months ago, let alone six months ago.

Leapaway and Richard Johnson (right) score at CartmelCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

"There are lots of young horses to look forward to and there should be some nicely handicapped older horses too. I'm just hoping the yard can bounce back and have a strong season. In a weird way it's quite exciting, knowing that there are horses there that we haven't seen the best of.

"I'm very, very lucky to have a horse like Native River to look forward to in the autumn and to have all of those other good stables to ride for, with Olly busy at the sales and keen to build on what was a fantastic first season, plus Warren, Tim, Henry and all of the other trainers I've built up relationships with over the years.

"I know my agent Dave Roberts will be working as hard for me as ever as he's still as eager I am. I've got the support of an awful lot of people, so I'm very spoilt."

Stobart Jump Jockeys' Championship 2018-19

William Hill: 10-11 Richard Johnson, 6-4 Harry Skelton, 6 Brian Hughes, 20 Sam Twiston-Davies, 33 Aidan Coleman, 50 Sean Bowen, 66 Bryony Frost

VIEWPOINT
Bookmakers still make Richard Johnson odds-on to retain his jockeys' title. This despite what is already looking a sizeable deficit for the champ to bridge, lying 20 winners behind Harry Skelton before yesterday evening. However it's still a gap you'd fancy him to eat into.

Skelton's off to a flyer. He's accrued 16 more winners for the first two months of this season than he managed at the same stage last term and he will continue to bolster his tally at a fair rate with brother Dan providing winners aplenty.

Looking at last season's championship table, Skelton was one of five jockeys in the top ten who managed over 600 rides. However just nine per cent of his mounts were for other yards and there's been no change this term.

Johnson's main employer is Philip Hobbs yet 73 per cent of his rides last term were for outside yards. He clearly remains the go-to man and Lodge Hill Stables will have to have one hell of a season if they're going to dislodge him.
James Hill

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