Champion in no mood to retire - even if he does lose his title

Richard Johnson read with interest figures published in the Racing Post last weekend which suggested that the title he has had such a firm grip upon for the last four seasons is under severe threat, but he was not unduly worried by them.

If that smacks of arrogance it shouldn’t, for you would be hard pressed to name a champion in any other sport who is more humble about his own achievements or more generous in his admiration for his rivals.

To recap briefly, in championship terms we are already past halfway in the current jumps season and Johnson finds Brian Hughes snapping at his heels – so close in fact that just one really good day on the northern circuit could take him upsides.