IT was really only a matter of time, you felt, before, injury or anything untoward notwithstanding, Richard Johnson wrested the lead in the British National Hunt jockeys’ championship back from Harry Skelton. Those who waded in at 10/11 or 5/6 in August can feel fairly happy with their work at this juncture.

It is interesting, however, that the trainer who has supplied Johnson with the majority of his winners this season so far is Gordon Elliott, not Philip Hobbs.