Hereford Times - 7th January 2016 - Page 144
Hereford Times - 7th January 2016 - Page 144
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Image Details
| Date | 07/01/2016 |
|---|---|
| Type | |
| Format | |
| Language | English |
| Area | Hereford Times |
| Collection Holder | |
| Date of Publication | 7th January 2016 |
| Transcription |
144 THE HEREFORD TIMES Thursday, January 7, 2016 Frustration for Hereford as ref injury halts game See Sport 5 Johnson leads herefordtimescom Big year for city boxing club Sponz Sport predictions for 2016 Sports Players leave Westfields Sport4 King targets lronman event spam county success am? 16.. NJ,- "“ Richard Johnson claimed his 3,000th winner aboard St Saviour. Photo: Les Hurley By Paul Rogers 1.11432 84:18 ’0 proffhereiordtimescom Twitter JFS-i'l”newsroom HEREFORDSHIRE jockey Richard Johnson started the New Year in style by notching up his 3,000th career win. The 38—year-old from Pem- bridge achieved the feat aboard St Saviour at the Best Wishes for 2016 Juvenile Maiden Hurdle at Ludlow on Monday. Johnson has had 16,744 rides in his incredible career to date, with his first win coming on Rules on Rusty Bridge at Hereford on April 30, 1994, and a year later, aged just 18, was crowned condi- tional jockey for 1995/96. And Johnson’s form is set to see him named National Hunt Champion for 2015/16. Tradi- tionally. Johnson always came second behind Sir Anthony McCoy, but the Herefordshire jockey has gained from the Ulsterman’s retirement last year Johnson has 172 wins, a clear 71 ahead of nearest challenger Aidan Coleman, with the last races taking place on April 26. McCoy. who had 221 win- ners last season, tweeted his congratulations to Johnson, saying it was a “great achieve- ment by a great bloke”. Johnson is also just four wins away from 3,000 winners over jumps, with four of his successes coming on the flat. “It’s great to get to the 3,000 mark, ” said Johnson. “We knew we were getting close, but I don’ t actually keep a re- cord, 1 was hoping someone would tell me when I got there. “I must say I’m only as good as the horses I ride and the trainers and owners I’ve been associated with. “I’d like to thank all the peo- ple I’ve ridden for over the past 22 years and obviously my agent Dave Roberts, who has done such a fantastic job. “It’s been an amazing expe~ rience and I’ve been very for- tunate to work with so many great people over the years.” It wasn’t just Johnson who was celebrating this week. Trainer Torn Lacey, from Woolhope, had two winners, while Michael Scudamore had a winner at Mussleburgh. Lacey’s first winner was at Uttoxeter on New Year’s Eve when Pinnacle Panda stormed to victory before Singlefarm- payment notched up a big win at Cheltenham the next day. “It was a great team effort and a day I will remember for the rest of my life,” said Lacey. “No—one can do this job on their own and you need good people around you. “I am overwhelmed by all the kind messages I received from all sorts of people.” During the past week, Lacey also had two second-placed finishes at Warwick. Scudamore, meanwhile, saw his horse Benenden claim vic- tory in the Alex Donaldson Handsome Handicap Chase. Rob Purdie, who is hopeful of playing in Saturday's game Hereford look to send a message in the FA Vase ROB Purdie says Hereford will send out a clear message to eve- ryone if they beat United Coun- ties League Premier Division leaders Leicester Nirvana in the FA Vase this Saturday. Both sides are in fine form, with Hereford winning 20 of their 24 league matches and Nirvana notching up 18 suc- cesses out of 23 in their league. And when you consider that astonishing 154 goals have been scored between them, the fourth round tie at Edgar Street could be a classic. “I think teams in our league fear playing us now because they know what we’re about and we’re top of the league,” said Purdie, who is hopeful of being fit for the game. “But Saturday will be a little bit different because it’s a team from another league who a1e top, and they will come with no fear. If we win, I think it will send a clear message to teams from that league and others that we mean business and it will give us a lot of momentum going into two big games.” Those matches are back-to back league clashes against Sporting Khalsa and Alve- church, who look the most likely to challenge Hereford for the league title. But Purdie says the players are only focusing on the Leicester Nirvana game. I SEE SPORT 8 CULDF N CRU‘VN ROBINSONS ' R_O_BINS___ONS ‘} l l ———rmZ.—.—.. l , , \ FLAGON / I 1' -L;/ ((:./ L/L/OL/l/L/g/ (41¢ Tenbury 11/) ,1 r ,7 ”c, I QC, , .1 1' / www. Rob1nsonsC1der.com ROBIN SONS T onlmn _//xz¢ 9y twl‘l filR'n" “Thy l m- .;m tin ()n lmnl' ' ,l_ |
| Newspaper name | Hereford Times |