Johnston has drive to thrive on day made for champions

Separating the public trainer from the private man is a tricky business.

Some describe Johnston as a party animal fond of flexing the muscles of his powerful Porsche and capable of grand romantic gestures such as presenting his wife Deirdre with a personalised new Mercedes at a surprise birthday bash.

Others paint a picture of a remote, brooding, bombastic figure capable of starting a row in an empty room when the mood takes him.

But what cannot be denied is that Johnston has made astonishing progress since he resigned as a vet to train a handful of patched-up rejects on a disused bombing range in 1987.

Johnston switched to Middleham with 13 horses when the place was on its uppers not long after and has been instrumental in making the Yorkshire town buzz again by expanding his team to 180 with a huge investmentin staff and property. Sheikh Mohammed left suitably impressed after a visit this year, but the most powerful owner in world racing was already aware of Johnston's ability.

Take Lucky Story, Mister Monet and Shamardal.

Lucky Story cost $95,000 in Kentucky two years ago and is now a leading fancy for Saturday's Emirates Airline Champion Stakes.

Mister Monet is another strong Champion contender having cost just 62,000 guineas, while Shamardal cost only 50,000 guineas but is among the favourites for next year's 2,000 Guineas ahead of Saturday's Darley Dewhurst Stakes.

Between them the trio are worth more than £5m now and Johnston feels all three have earned their place at the top level.

"Shamardal is our best two-year-old and I think he's exceptional," he said. "He is ready to show how good he is.

"Lucky Story is still a very green, lazy horse, but we have always wanted to try him at a mile and a quarter. Mister Monet wasn't highly rated as a two-year-old, so we had no choice but to start the season in handicaps, but he is a very good horse who is improving all the time."

"Always Trying" is Johnston's stable motto and Weaver recalls that his old boss was a trier from his very earliest training days. He said: "When the Sales were on, Mark used to get people to call him over the Tannoy so the movers and shakers would hear his name being announced."

Nobody in racing knew much about Johnston back then. They know him now, all right, and may know him even better after Champions' Day.

The big three

Lucky Story: Missed the first half of the season but looked better than ever when chasing home Rakti in the QEII at Ascot last month

Mister Monet: Thriving after completing a four-timer at Deauville and could be Breeders' Cup-bound if he wins again on Saturday

Shamardal: Described as "exceptional" by Johnston and due to test his 2000 Guineas credentials in the Darley Dewhurst Stakes