RICHARD Johnson has achieved most things at Cheltenham a jockey could ask for but, until yesterday, he had never ridden a treble.
As the Open Meeting began in bright sunshine, it was entirely appropriate that he should rectify that on the truly remarkable Balthazar’s King, who repeated last year’s victory in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase and has now won eight times at the course, one short of the record.
Starting at 4/7 on rain-softened ground that was hardly ideal, he worried his supporters with a serious mistake which saw Johnson at his very best as he maintained his hold on the reins, while an extravagant leap later on might also have spelt disaster.
However, having finally mastered Sire Collonges, he turned for home in the lead and held the determined late run of previous winner and old rival Uncle Junior by a length and a half with Sire Collonges a good third.
He was also completing a 105/1 treble for Philip Hobbs, who has been in outstanding form this autumn.
“He’s a fantastic horse but you know, in his first year he won a bad bumper at Plumpton, in his second he couldn’t win a novice hurdle and even fell twice but then everything came right,” the trainer said. “He’s best fresh so he’ll go back to the owners until January, then we’ll build up to the National like last year, when he finished second.”
“I’ve never ridden a more genuine horse,” Johnson added. “He made mistakes but is just so determined and got over them. It’s a privilege to ride him. He gives it 110% every time. Realistically, he hated the ground out there today.”
The handicapper takes no chances with horses which have gone close at Aintree, so Paddy Power’s early 25/1 about Balthazar King may not be as tempting as it seems. Whatever happens, he will never be forgotten by the army of fans who roared their appreciation yesterday.
Mullins gets a fast start ban
Following a report from the starter that Patrick Mullins on Uncle Junior had cantered into the start they found the rider in breach of Rule (D)44.4 and suspended him for one day.