Richard Johnson seeking Imperial rule at Cheltenham this weekend

Former champion jockey Richard Johnson is aiming for his first major winner at Cheltenham as an owner with Imperial Saint in the Support The Hunt Family Fund December Gold Cup on Saturday.

Johnson won two Gold Cups, a Champion Chase and a Champion Hurdle during his days in the saddle, and now gets his kicks from heading up what is proving to be a successful ownership syndicate.

Kikijo provided the syndicate with an initial Cheltenham winner last month, but the Philip Hobbs and Johnson White-trained Imperial Saint has been the flag-bearer for a while and won three times last season, as well as finishing third in a competitive race on Trials day.

“He’s been a great horse for us the last couple of seasons, but he wasn’t quite right in the Old Roan,” explained Johnson of his below-par seasonal return to action.

“After that the plan was to go to the Paddy Power, but when it emerged he had a little niggle in his back, we gave him some time off. It was just one of those things that horses can’t tell you.

“We obviously didn’t know at the time, but he clearly wasn’t himself that day as he got himself in a bit of a state before the race. Hindsight is a great thing.

“Hopefully he’s really well again now, Philip and Johnson are very pleased with him and it’s exciting for the syndicate to be heading to a major race at Cheltenham on a Saturday with a decent each-way chance.

“He does have Cheltenham form to his name despite being known as something of an Aintree specialist. It just so happened that last year the races that suited him were at Aintree. He did run on Trials day at Cheltenham though and ran well.

“So while we had been aiming at the Paddy Power, after his little break we changed to this and who knows, it might work out for the best given the way the winner (Panic Attack) bolted up at Newbury! I think she was a very well handicapped horse that day.

“It’s still a very competitive race, of course, as you’ve got Jagwar who also missed the Paddy Power so it will still take plenty of winning but we hope he has a chance.”