Johnston’s career best in sight before return to year zero

Middleham-based Johnston saddles Favourite Treat at Lingfield today while Outbacker appears to have a winning chance at the Surrey track tomorrow.

It is a remarkable level of consistency for a yard that has recorded a century of winners for 20 consecutive years and which has topped the 200 mark in four of the last five campaigns.

Speaking from New Zealand where he is on a working holiday, Johnston said: “Setting and chasing records are not the most important things in the world and we would not run horses just for the sake of achieving them. It is all back to zero from January 1.”

In other Yorkshire racing news, Sue Smith’s Vintage Star ran with credit to finish sixth to the Richard Lee-trained Mountainous in the Coral Welsh National.

Grand National-winning jockey Ryan Mania’s mount led the field into the home straight, but did not appear to stay the stamina-sapping three-mile, five-furlong test.

Mania then travelled to his native Scotland where he won Kelso’s opener yesterday on Masterleaderman.

More disappointing was Malton trainer Malcolm Jefferson’s highly-rated Oscar Rock who was only third to the AP McCoy-ridden Captain Cutter in Newbury’s Grade One Challow Hurdle as the Nicky Henderson stable to form.

The champion trainer’s Whisper also prevailed at the Berkshire track for Malton-born Andrew Tinkler who then rode the second treble of his career at Doncaster yesterday on the concluding day of the Go Racing In Yorkshire Winter Festival.

Tinkler took the opener on hurdling debutant Red Four for George Baker before taking the novice hurdle on the Henderson-trained Hoof Along.

Henderson’s Nesterenko then completed a landmark day for the Yorkshire rider while Mister Dillon’s victory for Sprinter Sacre’s work rider Nico de Boinville meant that the trainer enjoyed a treble of his own.

Tinkler and Henderson’s trebles were not enough to pip Jason Maguire and Sue Smith who were the leading jockey and trainer respectively at the four-day festival.

Rebecca Menzies, a first season trainer at the Brandsby stables of former Gold Cup-winning handler Peter Beaumont, enjoyed a weekend to remember when Pistol Basic won at Catterick before Mr Utah prevailed at Kelso yesterday. Both were ridden by her partner Tony Kelly.