JOHNSON White has just completed his first full year as the joint licence holder with Philip Hobbs at Sandhill Racing Stables, writes Richard Walsh.

Shortly after chalking up the yard’s first win of the 2024-25 season Johnson, who has been involved at the yard for more than 30 years, reflected on his first full year on the licence.

“I’m very pleased with the way things have gone - obviously we’d have liked some more winners but if we had more then we would only want more again. However,  the most important thing is that we have got a lot of nice young horses going forward to next season as well, which is all very exciting and something to look forward to.

“We had a bit of a purple patch during the season with five winners in one week with novice hurdlers, and on the whole they will be nice novice chasers for next season.”

Johnson talked about some of the stand out moments of the 2023-24 season

“Lowry Bar, who won his first four races, would be the stand out winner for me, and then he finished second in his last run, so he will be a very exciting horse for the autumn.

“Imperial Saint is another who has done well for us through last season. Owned by the Richard Johnson Racing Club, he rounded off the season by winning at Ffos Las, to finish the campaign with three wins, one second and three thirds.

“Ballee is another who has done very little wrong and will be another nice novice chaser in the autumn.”

One season may have only just ended but already the 2024-25 campaign is underway.

“French Ship has got us going for the new season when he won the bumper very nicely at Haydock last weekend and will come back novice hurdling in the autumn for us.

“Ballydisco also finished second at Ffos Las on Wednesday and will run again at Worcester in the near future.”

Johnson went on: “ Wonderful Eagle won nicely on the flat at Southwell a couple of runs ago and after undergoing a small wind operation will run again on the flat in a few weeks time.

“So there is a lot to look forward to, although probably more so for the autumn than the summer but there is enough to keep us all busy during the next few months.”

Johnson is also a keen cricketer and turns out during the summer months for Bridgetown. He added: “When things quieten down in the next few weeks then hopefully I will get back to playing some cricket for Bridgetown who have got a big year lined up with 2024 being their Centenary Year.”