Proud Richard Johnson is champion again

Richard Johnson described winning his second Stobart Jump Jockeys' Championship as a "dream come true".

For the second year in succession the 39-year-old was given a guard of honour by his weighing-room colleagues before racing at Sandown after topping the table once again.

Although his final figure was down on last year's total of 235, the Gold Cup-winning jockey still finished over 40 winners in front of runner-up Brian Hughes.

He said: "It is fantastic to be champion jockey again. It is the one thing I was trying to do for 20 years and last year was amazing to finally get there and to follow it up is a dream come true.

"The most important thing for me is the championship. Obviously we all want to win Gold Cups and Grand Nationals. The best thing I think I can do though is be champion jockey, so to manage to do it twice is fantastic.

"I think it is fantastic to win by a decent margin. In February I had a couple of knocks and I started to worry that everyone was getting a bit closer, but I am happy to get there now."

While appreciating the attention he has received in claiming another title, after spending so long in the shadow of AP McCoy, Johnson paid thanks to two people that have helped him achieve his primary goal.

He said: "I've been very lucky with Philip Hobbs mainly and having Dave Roberts as an agent for a long time. You can't get better than those two, they are first class.

"To ride for Philip is without doubt what has made my career what it has been the last 15 to 20 years, and Dave Roberts as an agent leaves no stone unturned to find the next winner.

"Those people have made it easier for me more than anything else."

Throughout the season there have been plenty of highlights for Johnson, but one in particular stood out above all else.

He said: "We've been lucky throughout the whole year. I think realistically Native River with his Hennessy and Welsh National win, I thought he was fantastic.

"Obviously for Philip - and it was Barry Geraghty's bad luck - but I was able to ride two Grade One winners on Defi Du Seuil.

"The Cheltenham Festival is where we all want to have winners. To have two winners was fantastic, but to ride one for Philip - it is always special to ride one for your boss.

"I think the Welsh National on Native River would be the top pick. To win that off top weight in testing ground is all class.

"He ran a really good race afterwards in the Gold Cup when the ground had perhaps just dried a little bit more than ideal to make it a proper test of stamina.

"He still ran really well and being a seven-year-old he is the one horse I can't wait to see again next year. He showed he was only just behind the best and I think he has got as good a profile as anything and with him being seven there is no reason he can't be as good if not better next season."

Despite turning 40 in July, the father of three sent out a warning to his rivals and those aspiring to take his title off him.

He said: "There are plenty of lads riding over 100 winners this season and there are plenty that are keen. I'm not going to be able to have any freebie for sure.

"It will be very competitive, I am sure. There is Brian Hughes, who finished second this season. There is Sam Twiston-Davies, he was unlucky through injury and he had to miss six weeks.

"Sam riding for Paul Nicholls and his dad has a very strong team, then there is also Aidan Coleman. They would be the main three, but there are an awful lot of lads that will ride a lot of winners, it is just a case of getting a good start and concentrating on what I do best.

"We've already been looking at Monday's and Thursday's entries over the last couple of days and we are focusing now on next season.

"Hopefully we will have a nice busy summer and there will be time for some breaks and holidays in between, but when there is racing we want to be busy and raring to go.

"I'm very lucky to have Philip as a boss and I enjoy doing it, so as long as the body is able to keep going hopefully you have got to put up with me for a few years longer. I think compared to some jockeys I am lucky with my weight as it is reasonably stable."

Johnson signed off with a flourish at Sandown as he secured victories aboard the Philip Hobbs-trained duo of Menorah and Wait For Me. The jockey ended the season on 188 winners.