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Anzum will stay long in the memory of Richard Johnson
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Thu 21 Dec 2023
When Richard Johnson reflects back on the most important winners he has ridden, the victory gained aboard Anzum in the 1999 Stayers’ Hurdle is likely to feature among them.
The David Nicholson-trained gelding may not have been the flashiest horse Johnson has ever ridden, but he will always be remembered for delivering him a victory no other horse has – that of his first Cheltenham Festival winner.
After several near-misses at the meeting the three-times champion jockey finally hit the jackpot with the then eight-year-old, who had finished second in the Grade One prize 12 months before.
Johnson said: “I was second on him in the race the year before and until then I hadn’t ridden any Cheltenham Festival winners, but I had quite a few seconds in the couple of years before that and it was starting to get quite frustrating.
“I thought I had a chance of being placed on Anzum before the race, but there was Le Coudray, Lady Rebecca and Deano’s Beeno also in the race and they were the big three, with Le Coudray being the banker from Ireland.
“I really was only hopeful over anything else.”
Anzum often required plenty of assistance in the saddle given his lazy style of racing, and in Johnson he had the perfect partner to extract the best out of him.
After touching down in fourth over the final flight, the pair powered up the run-in to defeat Le Coudray by a neck.
Johnson said: “We were flat out from the moment we jumped off, but I knew if we kept in touch and that if I kept pushing he would stay on well.
“Even coming down the hill I thought I might (only) be placed and even jumping the last, although it is a long time ago, I was pretty sure I didn’t think I would win as we were only fourth going over it.
“I noticed the first two (Le Coudray and Lady Rebecca) were stopping in front and he just powered up the hill. He was a fantastic little horse.
“I remember schooling him as a juvenile, so I knew lots about him. He was never a speed machine, but he was a stout stayer and had always been a good horse.”
Not only was the victory a landmark moment in the career of Johnson it would turn out to be a significant one for Nicholson, being the final one of his long and distinguished career.
He said: “When the Duke left the stands he didn’t realise he had won. He thought he had run really well to be second, then someone said ‘congratulations’ and he was a bit shocked.
“It was not very often the Duke was shocked. To have my first Festival winner for him was a big thing as it would turn out to be his last winner at the meeting. It meant the world, as he was the man who gave me my opportunity.
“It was just a fabulous day and I’m pretty sure we had a long night back at the pub in Ford afterwards.”
Some horses struggle to back up such a performance, but showing the victory was no flash in the pan Anzum floored Le Coudray once again the following month in the Irish equivalent at Punchestown, to cap a fine end to the season.
Johnson added: “It was great he went on to prove it wasn’t a fluke by winning at Punchestown. He was a really good little horse.
“It is hard to put it into words what it felt like at Cheltenham, though. Last year riding the Gold Cup winner was amazing and I made sure I took it all in.
“Aboard Anzum it was a bit of a blur, so since then I’ve made sure I appreciate every winner there, as you never know if it will be your last.”
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