Racing: Danielle Johnson may stay for title battle

Danielle Johnson kicks Two Illicit home at Trentham. She intends to defend her premiership. Photo / Race Images

Danielle Johnson may not be giving up her national jockey's premiership title without a fight even though she has confirmed her future move to Hong Kong.

Because the champion jockey says how her defence of the title is tracking at the end of summer could decide when she joins partner Jamie Richards in Hong Kong.

Richards stunned the New Zealand racing industry on Friday when announcing he will move to Hong Kong after being granted a trainer's licence there, one of the Holy Grails for ambitious horse trainers around the world because of the enormous wealth involved in Hong Kong racing.

That will mean Richards leaves his role as lead trainer for giant syndicators and owners Te Akau, who have another outstanding horseman in Mark Walker returning from Singapore to re-take the reins in New Zealand.

While Richards is not certain exactly when he will move, he has indicated April or May at the latest and Johnson will be joining him although her leaving date may be more flexible.

"I am definitely going and we are really looking forward to it but when I go might depend on the premiership," Johnson told the Herald.

"If I am in front or in a good position in the premiership and have some good horses to ride then I might stay on here until the end of the season and then move up. But I won't know where I stand with the premiership until at least the end of summer so I'll concentrate on riding winners and we can work that out then.

"It has been a very exciting time for Jamie and I'm super proud of him and I'm looking forward to the new challenge up there too."

Johnson says she is focussed on riding winners here and hasn't yet looked into her riding options in Hong Kong.

It is incredibly difficult for foreign riders to get permanent roles riding in Hong Kong but some are granted shorter term licences and as the New Zealand premiership winner, Johnson's days in the saddle may not end because of the move.

She leads the New Zealand premiership by one over Michael McNab heading into the ultra-busy next month but another factor for punters to consider when the TAB re-open betting on the premiership is whether Johnson will be doing as much riding here as McNab or her other key rivals.

She is one of New Zealand racing's most marketable stars and a natural target for organisers of international jockey's competitions and promotions so could be lured away for a week or two at different stages of the season whereas McNab has made it clear he has premiership ambitions should the summer go well.

Add the in-form Craig Grylls, who rode a feature-race double at Awapuni on Saturday and is just two wins behind Johnson's 45 for the season, and perennial premiership contender Lisa Allpress who is on 40 wins and the premiership battle has more players and question marks than usual.

The TAB also closed betting on the trainer's premiership as soon as Richards's move was announced and were considering refunding bets on the hot favourite but will seek clarity around when he is expected to head off shore and whether he can still be the official trainer of the Te Akau horses while setting up in Hong Kong.

Richards goes into today's Pukekohe meeting on 41 wins for the season, four behind Stephen Marsh.