29 in 1981, 46 in 1982, to 27 in 1983. In the 1980 Epsom Oaks, Johnson rode The Dancer, on whom he had won a race at Newbury as a 2 year old, for Major Dick Hern. Hern's stable jockey, Willie Carson, also had the choice of Cheshire Oaks winner Shoot A Line and Musidora Stakes winner Bireme. He elected to ride Bireme, who won by 2 lengths from Vielle, with The Dancer in 3rd. Johnson made much of the running until two furlongs out and was possibly a shade unlucky - The Dancer was partially sighted in one eye and had to race along the inside rails, eventually getting herself boxed in. In 1982 he had what would be his final ride in the Epsom Derby, finishing last of the 18 runners on the rank outsider Florida Son. By the mid-1980s, riding opportunities were becoming scarce, so he relocated to Ireland for a short while in 1984, to ride for Eddie O'Grady. When this failed to work out, he returned to England for a season, riding just 11 winners in 1985. This was followed by some time spent riding in Singapore. He also rode winners in Kenya, India and Hong Kong during his career. Back in England in the early 1990s, although he was one of only eight then active jockeys to have passed the 1,000 winner mark, rides were even harder to come by, and he picked up just eleven winners in four years, riding only 40 in his final 13 seasons as a jockey. The last time he rode double figures in a season was 10 in 1988, while his last big race winner was the Martin Pipe-trained Tamarpour in the 1991 Northumberland Plate at Newcastle. Despite the lack of rides, Johnson did not feel bitter, saying in 1993, 'I'm just doing what I enjoy and happy going from day to day. At least I've won a Derby.' He rode his last winner on Desert Sand at Ayr in September 1998 and his last race (besides one-off 'legends' races) in 2002. References External links Johnson winning the 1979 Timeform Racecard Stakes at Thirsk on Tap On Wood (video) Bibliography 1948 births English jockeys Living people Sportspeople from Sunderland British Champion apprentice jockeys