Sternrubin another Saturday star turn for Johnson

Yanworth and Barry Geraghty make all to win the Grade Two Kennel Gate Novices’ Hurdle at Ascot yesterday (PA)

Strange to think that had a young Anthony McCoy been thrown from his pony once too often and told his mum and dad, “That’s enough of that – get me a bike!”, we would now be cheering on Richard Johnson to his 17th jump jockeys’ title instead of his first.

But as we know, McCoy was not made that way and so it became Johnson’s fate to chase his tail for two decades until the great champion finally moved aside last April.

To say that Johnson, forever upbeat and helpful, with never a whinge about his lot, deserves to realise his life-long ambition and become champion at last, at the age of 38, is one of sport’s great understatements.

Setting a scorching pace only McCoy could have laid up with, Johnson has already sprinted to 161 winners for the season, not far off his personal best for an entire campaign (186) and more than twice as many as any of his rivals bar Aidan Coleman.

And everyone in racing is willing Johnson to stay safe and sound and complete the job.

After excelling aboard Village Vic in last week’s big handicap chase at Cheltenham, Johnson is again at the hub of the action at Ascot this afternoon when a full book of rides includes big chances in the three main events, starting with Reve De Sivola, who attempts a fourth successive victory in the Grade One Long Walk Hurdle.

The staying hurdlers’ division, so often in the recent past dominated by an outstanding multiple champion, such as Baracouda, Inglis Drever and Big Buck’s, is in a state of flux at the moment and crying out for a new talent to emerge.

Thistlecrack auditioned promisingly for the part when winning with authority at Newbury last month and, lightly raced, has the scope to progress, but he will need to improve to see off the classy Saphir Du Rheu – runner-up in the World Hurdle at Cheltenham last March and reverting to the smaller obstacles after failing to justify favouritism in the Hennessy Gold Cup three weeks ago – let alone the still able Reve De Sivola.

There is much to like about Johnson’s mount Sternrubin in The Ladbroke. This keen-going four-year-old split Lil Rockerfeller and Old Guard at Sandown last April, form that has received several boosts this season, and he remains well treated at the weights despite a pleasing comeback win at Newbury last month.

The confirmed trailblazer Rayvin Black should give Sternrubin a nice tow round and the race could pan out perfectly for him, although inevitably this huge pot has attracted a strong Irish challenge, headed by Edward Harty’s County Hurdle runner-up Sort It Out and Willie Mullins’ unexposed Noble Inn.

Fingal Bay is not the class act he was, but ran well enough when fourth in the Hennessy Gold Cup last month to suggest that a prominent showing under Johnson is likely in the Silver Cup Handicap Chase.

The eye is drawn, though, to last season’s Hennessy second, Houblon Des Obeaux, given a big opportunity by the handicapper following a sluggish start to the campaign and with another 5lb taken off by claimer Charlie Deutsch, who created such a good impression when giving Aachen a canny winning ride at Cheltenham eight days ago.

Yanworth, trained by Alan King for JP McManus, has been cut to a best-priced 14-1 for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham next March following his effortless Grade Two victory at Ascot yesterday.