Swift 100 by Johnson

Richard Johnson clocked his fastest century when steering Sleeting to a hard-fought success over Catullus in the selling handicap hurdle at Taunton yesterday.

But the seven-year-old needed all of Johnson's strength in the saddle to seal the ton by a short head as a loose horse running the opposite way up the straight appeared to distract John Gallagher's charge on the run to the winning post.

Johnson later went on to make it 101 when driving out Glacial Enterprise, having his first outing for Philip Hobbs, to lift the Skylark Novices' Hurdle by half-a-length from Wishbone.

The 23-year-old was delighted at reaching this landmark in his career and smiled: "That's fantastic. I'm delighted to get my 100 as it's obviously the fastest ton I've ever ridden.

"I really hope I can ride another before the end of the season and beat that man Tony McCoy.

"My target at the beginning of the season was to get 150 winners on the board which I have never done before but now, hopefully, I can beat that but, as always, the main thing about this game is staying in one piece," he added.

It is the fifth season running Johnson has reached 100 and he is firmly on course to beat his personal best tally of 143 set last term. 99313781

Mick Fitzgerald is hoping to be back in time to partner Ad Hoc in the Hennessy Gold Cup on November 25th, despite sustaining a small crack in his left shoulder at Newbury on Wednesday.

Fitzgerald was injured when Chalkie Run came down at the second last hurdle in the Golf Pay `n' Play Novices' Hurdle and he was taken to hospital where X-rays revealed the crack.

He went to see his orthopaedic surgeon Mike Foy yesterday and said: "He has had a good look at it and he said I have got a realistic chance of being back for the Hennessy.

"But he sent me to hospital in Swindon to have a scan on the bone to find out the real extent of the damage it will give a clearer picture of the problem but I won't have the result of that until Monday." He went on: "The Nicky Henderson camp is firing on all cylinders and starting to get going now and I don't want to miss out on anything. I have been very lucky to have ridden a lot of nice horses this season for Mr (Robert) Ogden and I don't want to miss any of those either."

Fitzgerald has ridden 31 winners this season, 15 of them for Henderson, and he went on: "It is not just the frustration of the pain, that is a very small part of it really, the pain of what you are going to miss is even worse - I had some nice rides coming up at Cheltenham this weekend too."

Green Card looks the class act in the Capel Cure Sharp Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham today. A useful performer on the Flat, the Sean Woods-trained entire has taken well to hurdles and has won all three starts over timber in good style.

Green Card faces a stiff test in the Grade Two contest with the likes of Aerleon Pete and Cardiff Arms in opposition.

But he jumps like an old hand and could have too much pace for his Cheltenham rivals.