AFTER leading the championship race from start to finish a delighted Paul Hanagan was lifted high by his weighing room colleagues as he took the Flat jockey’s title at Doncaster on Saturday.

Hanagan reached a career high after fighting off the determined challenge of rival Richard Hughes to become only the third northern-based rider to become champion in the past 105 years.

Kevin Darley, in 2000, had previously been the only rider from the north since Elijah Wheatley in 1905 to break the southern-based monopoly in the title race. But now the Warrington-born jockey, like Darley a winner of the apprentice title as well, has added his name to an illustrious list of champions alongside greats Lester Piggott, Gordon Richards, Pat Eddery, Willie Carson, Kieren Fallon and Frankie Dettori.

He may not be favourite to win it again next year, but Hanagan is just basking in the glory of his first title after being handed the trophy by Darley, chief executive of the Professional Jockeys’ Association, on an emotional day at Town Moor.

Hanagan finished with 191 winners from an exhausting 1,109 rides. He had started the campaign at Doncaster with the first winner of the Flat season on March 27. An incredible four-timer on the opening day put down the marker for the rest to follow. But despite Hughes’ determined efforts he was never overtaken.

And back at Doncaster on Saturday, he may not have ridden any winners, but with Hughes also drawing a blank he claimed the title 191-189.

Despite coming home eighth on Tepmokea, for his boss Richard Fahey, in the November Handicap on Town Moor, with Hughes also unplaced on John Gosden’s Senate the victtory was secured.