Racing: New Zealand champion jockey Chris Johnson fails breathalyzer test during race at Riccarton

Champion jockey Chris Johnson could face suspension after being pulled from the race at Riccarton yesterday for failing a breathalyzer test.

Johnson is only 10 wins away from becoming New Zealand’s most successful jockey in national victories, but was tested by the stewards after participating in the first race and then retired for the remainder of the meeting.

Johnson rode the Aquattack in the first race at Riccarton, at 12.05pm, taking the $ 12 outsider to third place before he was retired.

The local training duo of Matthew and Michael Pitman had to turn to backup driver Lee Callaway, who scored his first win since December after replacing Johnson.

Michael Pitman did not hesitate to book Callaway once Johnson became unavailable and was full of praise for his handling of the eight-year-old, slightly raced Turncoat, which Pitman had previously labeled a solid chance to win that day.

“They interviewed me early in the morning and I said I thought Turncoat was our best chance to win,” Pitman said.

“He was very unlucky last time when he was hit and at his job I thought he would get very close again.

“It was a no-brainer to put Lee in a time when Chris was unavailable as he had ridden him to win before for us.”

In 2016, Johnson received an eight-week suspension after a positive cannabis test in the Rangiora trials.

Johnson pleaded guilty at a hearing, but claimed he did not knowingly use the drug and did not have an explanation for why he tested positive. Pitman said at the time that he felt it was likely Johnson had been “attacked.”

Johnson began his career in 1980 and, despite being away from the sport for seven years between 1998 and 2005, he has racked up 2,441 victories in New Zealand, just 10 fewer than David Walsh’s record.

The 56-year-old has made 18,818 starts in New Zealand in his career, which has spanned a fifth decade, and his horses have won nearly $ 30 million in stakes in that time frame.

He has had a quiet 2020/2021 season thus far, with his only win in 69 starts aboard the Asathought at Wingatui in August.

– With NZ Racing desk