IT was the realisation of a dream, now champion jockey Paul Hanagan is ready to start again.

But as the Flat Turf season beings at Catterick today, Classic success with Wootton Bassett is just as big an ambition as retaining his title.

The 30-year-old Warrington jockey prevailed in an epic duel with Richard Hughes last November to become only the third northern-based champion jockey in 105 years. Elijah Wheatley in 1905 and Kevin Darley in 2000 couldn’t repeat that title-winning feat.

And Hanagan, who starts his defence on the all-weather at Lingfield this afternoon, knows it will be a tough task for him to take the championship again. Key to it will be for form of the Richard Fahey yard – where he has been based since he was 16.

The Musley Bank Stables will have to fire as they have during the past few seasons.

Last year Hanagan began with a bang – landing a four-timer at Doncaster – and led from start to finish. But he knows the task at hand this time.

He said: “It will be tough to win the title again. But if we get off to a good start I will give it a real good go. And if it happens, it happens, but I don’t feel any pressure to win it again.

“There will be a lot of others wanting to win it as well. But the main thing for me is for the yard to have a good year.

“It is very exciting at Richard’s (stable). You always have to strive to do better, to go one step further. But I am sure with the amount of horses we have got now and the quality, it could be another good year.”

Wootton Bassett was the big highlight of his title-winning season.

Unbeaten in five juvenile starts, he provided Hanagan and Fahey with their first Group One victory at Longchamp in the autumn.

Now they will bid for 2,000 Guineas glory at Newmarket at the end of April.

The three-year-old colt is a best-priced 14-1 with most bookmakers behind hot favourite Frankel. And Hanagan said: “I would love to win a Classic. I have been riding Wootton Bassett out and he has done well over the winter. He has grown and has done everything right. He has been great on the gallops and I am really looking forward to him.

“You don’t know how he can be. I always thought he would be even better this year. He has grown and filled out a bit. I am not saying he is going to win, but he will not be disgraced and he certainly can win.

“He has a great attitude and I wouldn’t want to be on any other horse if the race turned into a battle.

“Frankel looks like a bit of a machine, but I will be going there quietly confident that we could beat him.”

Last year was exceptional for both jockey and the yard.

But having reached the 200-winner mark for the first time in a calendar year in 2010 and having had more than 1,200 rides in his title-winning season, Hanagan was glad of a break.

He said: “It was just relief at the end. It was the longest two weeks of my life. I had been in front for so long but it was a real ding-dong battle with Hughsey but we got there in the end.

“It was fantastic. It is something you dream of when you are a kid. It has always been my ambition to be champion jockey and it was great to achieve it. I just wish I could have enjoyed it more at the end. I was that tired.

“I needed a break to be honest. At the end I was just going on fumes. I lost a bit of weight as well.

“It was just great to spend time with the family (wife Anna with two sons Josh and Sam). Because of the way the season was I hardly saw them and it was great to do that.

“I feel great now. I have a good break and have come back in great shape. It has done me good I just can’t wait to get back on the grass.”

During his time off the track he made two trips back to Merseyside.

One was to receive his jockey’s title trophy from Ian Rush at Anfield during the 1-0 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers over Christmas. It was a special moment for the avid Liverpool fan.

But his visit to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital to present a cheque also left a lasting impression.

Hanagan donated his winnings from the last two weeks of the season to Aldey Hey and the Injured Jockeys’ Fund. And he said: “It was a really special night at Anfield. I have never been so nervous in all my life. It was a full house. I got a great reception. To receive it from a legend like Ian Rush as well was brilliant. It was a terrible result but I enjoyed it all the same.”

The father-of-two added: “I went up to Alder Hey to give them the cheque and it was a bit of a wake-up call really. We moan about stupid little things, but we shouldn’t really. When you see some of the kids suffering it makes you think. But it was great to give something back. It is the area where I was born. Aldey Hey is only 20 minutes away from where I grew up and it is nice to help them in some small way.”

The first big race of the Flat season is this Saturday’s William Hill Lincoln, where Fahey has a number of entries.

Hanagan doesn’t know what he will be riding just yet, although Irish Heartbeat – one of his four winners from the opening day at Doncaster 12 months ago – is his likely partner.

Hanagan said: “I don’t know what I am riding. We will have a bit of a board meeting and a chat. There are a lot of good horses and they would all have a squeak, but it depends on what gets in. But whatever does get in will have a big chance.”

After that Hanagan has plenty to look forward to. He added: “Rose Blossom has done well over the winter. She won a Group Three at York last season. She had a real good year and I am sure she can have another. I am looking forward to getting back on her.

“Also the two-year-olds from last year – Marine Commando won at Royal Ascot for me and he has done well over the winter and is Al. A few others I think will do well also.”

TODAY’S NAP: Miss Work Of Art (2.30pm Lingfield).