Johnson rides four winners

Press, 20 November 1989, Page 38

Johnson rides four winners

BY

DAVID MCCARTHY

Chris Johnson, who experienced several changes of fortunes at the Westland Racing Club’s meeting on Saturday, is challenging David Walsh for his place at the head of the jockey’s premiership.

Johnson’s four winners on Saturday takes him to 28 for the season, just two behind Walsh whose win on Fun On The Run at Te Rapa was his only success on the week-end. Johnson has taken over second place from Raymond Bruce whose 100 per cent record from his one ride, on Argyll, at the

postponed Southland meeting takes his tally to 27. Bruce rides at Hokitika today instead of Southland. Bruce and Johnson both have good books of rides today and either could take over the premiership lead.

The nearest chcallenger is Greg Childs on 25 followed by Lance O’Sullivan (22), Peter Johnson (19) and Noel Harris (18). Maurice Campbell, David Peak, Debbie Healey, Grant Cooksley and Larry Cassidy are all on 17.

Johnson was stood down after the eighth race on Saturday, after he

became unwell. He had weighed in light on Exchequer in the previous race and the horse was disqualified from fourth. The irony of that situation could not have been lost on a rider who has had to battle weight problems in recent times but Johnson had been ill before the race and other than losing his riding fee he was not penalsied for the incident. Earlier Johnson had been bucked off Decoy Lad, a subsequent winner, in the preliminary.

Johnson was also a successful trainer on the day when Delightful Dame scored in the hands of Cheryl Walter in the final

Saturday’s racing saw Graeme Rogerson extend his lead in that sphere however. Straight Dash won the opening event at Hokitika in the hands of Grant Davison about the same time the richly bred Fiery Type dead heated for first at Te Rapa taking the Rogerson total for the season to 29, twelve more than that of Bruce and Robert Priscott. The Ashburton stable of Peter and Dawn Williams eased ahead of John Parsons as the South Island table leader, Argyll’s win at Southland being their fourteenth of the season.