News Rationing worth it for Richard Johnson as he laps up Caviar Gold on Village Vic

Rationing worth it for Richard Johnson as he laps up Caviar Gold on Village Vic

racing

Dropping down to ride at the minimum weight is something Richard Johnson seldom does but those efforts were rewarded as Village Vic jumped his rivals into submission with a bold display of front-running in the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup at Cheltenham.

Dropping down to ride at the minimum weight is something Richard Johnson seldom does but those efforts were rewarded as Village Vic jumped his rivals into submission with a bold display of front-running in the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup at Cheltenham.

Faced with the choice of riding the eight-year-old or stablemate Champagne West in the Grade Three contest the title-chasing jockey got his decision spot on after making every yard of the running aboard the 8-1 shot, who brought about a hat-trick of victories in style.

Although making the running was not the tactic of choice for Johnson he was left with little other option, with Village Vic striding on with plenty of enthusiasm and attacking his early fences in impressive fashion.

Still travelling powerfully late on in the two-mile five-furlong event Johnson stole a peak through his legs after three out where he was greeted by the sight of the horse he rejected moving equally as well in the hands of Tom O'Brien.

However, that picture soon changed rounding the home turn, with O'Brien showing his hand first aboard the seven-year-old as he asked for his maximum effort.

While Champagne West stuck on tenaciously on his first start in 315 days he ultimately had no answer to the feather-weighted Village Vic, who after taking the last two fences as if they were the first, bounded clear up the run-in to claim the £56,950 first prize by four and a half lengths.

Hobbs, who last won the race with Monkerhostin in 2004, said: "I could hardly predict they would be first and second.

"What was going through my mind after the first few fences was that they were going too quick, but he got it just right. I was surprised he was in front as that was not in the plan, but he jumped off and travelled and it worked out well.

"Champagne West is a second-season novice and I'm hoping there is plenty of room for improvement. He had a nasty injury to his hock when he fell at Sandown last year which thankfully was no problem.

"For Village Vic this was D-Day. It was fantastic. He had a year off with injury, some time back and has come back well now.

"He had a minor tendon injury which he wouldn't have known much about. He wasn't lame or anything, so I don't think it was a big problem for him.

"It's taken a long time to get him back near his best, but he is on an upward curve at the moment which is really good. He jumped so boldly and won well.

"Richard could have taken the easy option and ridden the other horse but he took the more difficult option and he has reaped the rewards."

A jubilant Johnson felt the victory was nothing short of what Village Vic deserved having been talented in his early days before being hit by injury setbacks.

Johnson said: "I felt after the race at Musselburgh that this was the ideal race for him. It was a hard decision to make, but it was purely for the fact he had such a light weight I went for him.

"He was very fresh on the way to the start, but one thing he does is jump very well and when I let him go he jumped the first fence well and just got into a rhythm

"We've always thought the world of him and as a young horse he was not that far behind The New One, but he has had a lot of injury problems. The owners have been good and have not rushed him and they are getting their rewards for it.

"This is the first time he's really stayed two and a half on a very stiff track, but I always felt like he was going to find a bit more."

"I wouldn't do 10st too often these days, but I always thought he had a g reat chance and it's been well worth the while."