Versatile jockey Chris Johnson landed his third Grand National Hurdles winner when Kid Columbus outlasted Foremost at Riccarton in Christchurch.
Johnson has long been recognised as the South Island’s best flat jockey but he has also had more than 220 rides over hurdles and Wednesday’s win was his 51st over the small fences, according to figures from jumping statistician Chris McQuaid.
It was also his 1749th win overall in New Zealand and followed on from Johnson’s Grand National wins on Ampac in 1989 and Woodbine Blue Chip in 1993.
He admitted Kid Columbus “pulled his arms off” in the $NZ57,500 4200m event after racing keenly in taking the field up to favourite and pacemaker Borrack.
When Borrack faded early in the straight, Foremost loomed up.
The Mark Oulaghan-trained runner edged clear of Kid Columbus and the late-closing Honey approaching the last fence and the race looked his.
But he screwed inwards on jumping the fence and allowed Johnson to take the better lane and in a vigorous finish a brave Kid Columbus prevailed by three-quarters of a length over Foremost with a nose back to Honey in third.
Johnson thought second would be his lot coming to the last fence.
“He looked beaten but he came back,” he said.
Kid Columbus is trained at Omakau in Central Otago by Murray Hamilton who said:”It was an unbelievable ride.
“He’s a nice horse and they get on well.”
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