Top Gear star Jeremy Clarkson gets first racing win as his horse The Hawkstonian shines over hurdles

Jeremy Clarkson enjoyed a rare win away from TV on Friday, January 30, 2026. His racehorse, The Hawkstonian, won the 13:50 Novices’ Hurdle at Ffos Las in Wales. It was the horse’s first career victory. The win came after a close finish that had fans holding their breath.

The grey gelding was ridden by Ben Jones, a Cheltenham Festival-winning jockey. The horse is trained by Ben Pauling. The result marked a big moment for Clarkson as a racing owner, after a tough first season.

Jeremy Clarkson celebrates as The Hawkstonian claims first ever hurdle win at Ffos Las

The race took place at Ffos Las Racecourse on Friday afternoon. The Hawkstonian showed strong pace and stayed calm under pressure. Ben Jones guided him well over the final hurdle and pushed him clear right at the line.

After the race, Clarkson shared his joy on X. He wrote, “Hawkstonians. I’m receiving word that our horse triumphed today at the Blue Ditch course in Wales. I’m going to celebrate with a beer.”

A fan asked how that fit with Dry January. Clarkson replied, “Not when you have a brewery and a pub it isn’t.”

The horse is named after Clarkson’s Hawkstone brewery. The win felt fitting for the TV host, who often jokes about farming life at Diddly Squat Farm.

It was also a big reward after months of waiting and learning in the sport. Trainer Ben Pauling had spoken in 2025 about the early challenges.

He said Clarkson was used to “horsepower of a different kind,” and that owning a racehorse tested his patience. Pauling added that hurdling was the right path and believed the horse would improve with time.



Those words proved right in early 2026. The Hawkstonian looked sharper and more confident. Pauling once joked, using a car analogy Clarkson would enjoy, that the horse could be closer to a Ferrari than a Morris Minor.

The win sparked plans to celebrate. Old Gold Racing, the syndicate that offered shares at £60 for 14 months, posted on Instagram, praising the “speed and power” of the ride.

They invited members to celebrate at The Farmer’s Dog pub, owned by Clarkson, near the Cotswolds.

The Hawkstonian’s own Instagram account summed it up best: “Buy that horse a beer.” For Clarkson, the first win as an owner finally arrived, and it came with perfect timing.





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