IT was generally felt that the changes in the British Flat Jockeys Championship were brought about to increase the likelihood of one of the top jockeys winning it.

Moving the finishing post to Champions Day at Ascot in mid-October allowed the top jockeys to go abroad for the big end-of-season prizes in Australia and the USA, without it harming their bid for the domestic title.

It did seem unfair to those who rode from the traditional start of the flat season to November, that many of their winners would not count.

Or that those who didn’t really place too much value on the achievement of being champion jockey, preferring to go to the big international meetings, were being given an advantage.

In that regard, it is welcome to see Silvestre de Sousa in close contention in second place in the British jockeys table and with the Johnston team in great form, he may make a bold bid and be just as deserving a winner.