Richard Johnson: the jockeys' championship is not over yet

Champion jockey Richard Johnson has not given up hope of retaining his title and aims to return to the saddle next weekend.

Despite trailing Brian Hughes by 19 winners, Johnson, who has been sidelined since breaking his arm in a fall at Exeter just over a month ago, has definitely not written off his chances of a fifth championship and is raring to be back in the saddle.

In an exclusive interview in Sunday's Racing Post, the jockey said: "If I was more than 30 winners behind I'd feel the title was gone. I'm not saying I can still beat Brian but if he got a suspension, or missed a week for whatever reason, all of a sudden it gets a lot closer."

Johnson was runner-up to Sir Anthony McCoy in the title race 16 times but following his retirement he landed his first championship in the 2015-16 season.

"Winning the jockeys' title was the one thing I always wanted to do," he said. "I'm now lucky enough to have won it for the last four years and it seems to mean more each time."

Johnson has duelled with Hughes at the head of the table since the start of the season and has vowed to carry on the fight next term even if he cannot catch him in 2019-20.

"Everyone thought if I wasn't champion the year after AP retired I’d retire myself," he said. "Then they thought I'd retire when I won my first one. But as long as Philip Hobbs is happy to continue supporting me, I think now, more than ever, if I do lose it this year, I’ll want it back."

More to read:

Richard Johnson's title hopes not over yet despite injury says Tom Scudamore

Brian Hughes: jockeys' title by no means an open goal despite Johnson injury

Read more from Richard Johnson in The Big Read, available to members from 6pm on Saturday or in Sunday's Racing Post newspaper. Join Members' Club here