Hanagan doubles up with historic second title triumph

“It’s a big relief. It feels like a big weight has been lifted and it’s gone right down to the wire again,” said Malton-based Hanagan who was hugged by his wife and two young sons before being soaked in champagne.

“This season seemed to come around so quick. It didn’t feel like two minutes since the last season ended and the new one began, but in a good way the balls just kept on rolling.”

The first Northern champion to defend the title, Hanagan’s moment of history came at 1.27pm on Saturday when his great rival Silvestre de Sousa, from Thirsk, finished last of the 17 runners in Doncaster’s six furlong nursery on True Bond.

It meant Hanagan’s total of 165 winners – four more than de Sousa’s career-best 161 triumphs – could not be caught.

And, probably for the first time in eight months, both men were winless on the day – the November Handicap was won by trainer John Gosden for a fifth time as Robert Havlin partnered Zuider Zee to victory.

After de Sousa’s disappointment, Hanagan smiled broadly – and there was a spark back in his eye for the first time in weeks – as he returned to a triumphant winner’s enclosure.

One of his first duties was to don the traditional Cock o’ the North cap that the Yorkshire Post and Racing For Change present to the region’s rider with most winners. That was nothing compared to the soaking he later received from weighing room colleagues before being held aloft.

A rider whose work ethic is unsurpassed, the only time Hanagan has not led the title race in the past two years came earlier this summer when de Sousa headed him for four hours.

“He’s been riding out of his skin and deserves a lot of respect. We’ve just had a quiet moment when he came up and shook my hand,” the champion said of de Sousa.

Some have decried the Flat title, presumably because it has not been won by a high-profile name like Frankie Dettori, Kieren Fallon or Ryan Moore. But Richard Fahey, Hanagan’s retained trainer, disagrees.

“He would still be champion, whether he rode for me or not. We’re lucky to have him.”

As for the runner-up who made a not insignificant detour to Australia to ride Fox Hunt in the Melbourne Cup during the final week of the season, he says suspensions cost him dear.

“Mr Johnston gave me so many winners, and has been so good to me, so I had to go to Australia,” explained de Sousa. “The difference, I think, was I got more bans than Paul – I missed nine days and that counted against me. Paul is a great champion, I didn’t think I had a chance. Next season, who knows?”

By his own admission, de Sousa was a beneficiary of Joe Fanning’s thumb injury that provided more opportunities than expected at Johnston’s Middleham yard.

Yet Johnston said the decision to ask the Brazilian-born rider to race in the Melbourne Cup was “the right decision” and that the stable’s decision not to run horses in races below prize money tariffs did not help de Sousa’s cause.

Writing in the latest edition Kinglsey Klarion, the stable’s monthly magazine, Johnston said: “It is unfortunate that we did not realise earlier in the year that Silvestre would be such a live contender. It was well into the season before we started to give him serious support.

“Our owners have almost entirely supported the tariff system and this has probably meant that Silvestre has missed out on a few easier pickings.”

Bookmakers Paddy Power make Hanagan and Ryan Moore the 3-1 joint-favourites for next year’s title with de Sousa and Kieren Fallon next best at 7-2.

But neither Hanagan or de Sousa wanted to talk about the future. They just wanted time to reflect upon the greatest year of their respective racing lives.