Skelton completes long and winding road to the top as Johnson takes his exit

It was not all doom and gloom for British racing as champions old and new made their mark on the season.

While professionals and pundits were pointing fingers after humbling results at Cheltenham and Aintree, Harry Skelton and Brian Hughes were serving up the perfect distraction in the jockeys' championship.

Their titanic battle went down to the last two days before Skelton was officially crowned champion, ultimately finishing ten winners ahead of last season's number one, who lost nothing in defeat.