Once not enough for champion who had to wait so long to reach summit

Richard Johnson has been on a long journey. It began at 6am when, ten minutes after rolling out of bed, he was collected from his Leominster home in Herefordshire by a man called Roy and driven north on the 326-mile, six-hour trip to a Monday jumps card at Musselburgh.

Seven months earlier he completed a journey that lasted much longer. It was a mighty trek of persistence, patience and dedication that defined him to those who follow the sport and eventually, to the universal delight of anyone with a sense of justice, ended with him becoming champion jockey.

In reality, however, the journey continues, albeit with a heavy load lifted. Johnson, the extraordinarily genial and well-mannered country lad who on 16 occasions finished second to Sir Anthony McCoy in the jump jockeys' championship before finally taking the crown in April, has claimed the Stobart-sponsored title once and now wants to claim it again. A one-hit wonder he does not wish to be. For that reason, he is here on a dreich Monday afternoon at Musselburgh.