'I hope all trainers can look at that and support me' - De Sousa wins Lincoln

Saturday: Doncaster

Actions always speak louder than words, which was probably why Silvestre De Sousa was smiling so broadly on Town Moor just after 3.40pm on the first Saturday of the turf season.

You are easily forgotten in racing. Many a former champion is looked at with a sideways, "What have you done for me lately?", rather than admired with a "Class is permanent" vibe.

De Sousa may have won the last of his three titles as recently as 2018 yet he has been ditched as retained jockey by King Power Racing and felt the need to remind people of his existence in these pages earlier in the week, saying how much he was looking forward to the challenge of riding as a freelance.

His "I want to ride as many winners as I can. I’m free for the best rides available," was a racing equivalent of a footballer's "come-and-get-me" plea.

Yet show is better than tell. Turning the 28-1 outsider Johan, trained by old ally Mick Channon, into the winner of the SBK Lincoln will have done more than any words to prove that the jockey who has been the one to beat so often since he came to Britain from Brazil, remains very much a force to be reckoned with.

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There was a rare joy and animation in De Sousa after Johan's success. "I'm absolutely delighted," he said. "I'm a freelance jockey this year and kicking off with a nice win is always a big help. I hope all the trainers can look at that and give me support through the season. Mick Channon has always given me plenty of rides through my career and I'm over the moon.

"I was thrilled when Mick gave me the call for the ride and I'm very pleased for the yard. The ground didn't bother him at all. It's a bit on the slow side and tacky but he coped well.

"He travelled well. I tracked the lead horse and he put the race to bed when I went to go."

De Sousa has ridden no fewer than 80 winners for Channon in Britain over the years, landing Group 3 races on Malabar and Dan's Dream, and the trainer was delighted to see the partnership come good again as he watched from Kempton.

"Silvestre is my man," he said. "I always get on very well with him. He's a smashing lad and he's ridden plenty of winners for me."

Channon's son Jack revealed at Doncaster that booking the former champion was a plan hatched with owners Jon and Julia Aisbitt, who moved Johan from William Haggas in the winter for a change of scenery.

"I had a discussion with Jon and Julia about three months ago and we knew that Tom Marquand wouldn't be available as he was over in Dubai and I thought Silvestre would suit this horse down to the ground," he said.

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Mick Channon: 'I thought he'd run well but how can you fancy anything in a race like that'Credit: Edward Whitaker

"He's a straightforward horse who lengthens and lengthens and that is Silvestre's bag – if he can just shovel the coal on there's no-one better."

Channon snr was landing his first win in the Lincoln and said: "Obviously, we're delighted. Johan has been an absolute star. He's a bit hairy but it's been very cold where we are this winter and he wasn't fully clipped out – but he was in great nick, I can tell you that. He was squealing.

"I thought he'd run well but how can you fancy anything in a race like that when there are a lot of younger horses, new kids on the block? But there's a lot of life in the old boy."

Ross Coakley led from the off on Saleymm, only to be worn down inside the final furlong by the relentless De Sousa on Johan, who was a length and a quarter clear at the line.

Rogue Bear kept on well to take third, another half-length away, to the delight of Tom Clover and the enthusiastic Rogues Gallery partnership of owners.

"It was a lovely run," the trainer said. "We thought he'd be in the consolation race but it was a nice surprise to get into this. The owners are huge supporters of mine and it's fantastic they've got a horse that's going to be a really nice flagbearer for them."

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