Johnson and Vaughan team up for four-timer at Fontwell

Johnson and the Bridgend handler were all smiles as they met time and time again in the winner’s enclosure with a succession of different owners, taking the honours in the first, second, fourth and fifth races.

It might have been six but champion jockey AP McCoy beat Johnson in the last despite being on the favourite.

The duo’s first success came with 9/5 favourite Kack Handed, a 14-length winner in the Spiffing Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer Novices’ Hurdle and they made it two out of two with Tae Kwon Do in a closer race next up, the Pimms Novices’ Handicap Hurdle.

The treble was completed with 3/1 favourite Saute who romped home by 20 lengths in the Yeomans Honda Handicap Hurdle and did it again with 100/30 shot Henri Prends Garde in the 888sport Handicap Chase.

They also had runners in the other two races but were nudged out of the No1 spot first by Mark Quinlan on 9/4 favourite Clu Agus Cail - trained by Petworth’s Alison Batchelor - in the SES Autoparts Novices’ Handicap Chase and McCoy and 7/2 contender Coolagad Wonder in the Sobe Pure Rush Handicap Hurdle.

There was a good crowd - thought to be close to 5,000 - at Fontwell for Ladies’ Night although it appeared torrential rain in other parts of the south earlier in the day had put off quite a number of decide-on-the-day punters.

The big off-track attraction was a best dressed lady contest. The ten top ladies walked off with prizes, with the top offering of £2,000 going to Debbie from Yorkshire.

Fontwell’s next meeting is a family fun day on Sunday, September 4, and they stage their inaugural two-day festival on Friday, September 30, and Saturday, October 1, with best of British and Irish-themed days.