'They clearly got motor racing and horseracing confused!' - Jeremy Clarkson set to hit top gear with new racehorse syndicate

Former Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson is set for his first foray into racehorse ownership with a horse named after his own brand of beer.

Clarkson, whose Amazon series Clarkson's Farm has seen him move from motoring to agriculture in recent years, will head up a Cotswolds-based syndicate powered by Old Gold Racing.

The Hawkstonian, a striking grey four-year-old who will be trained by Ben Pauling, is named after Clarkson's beer Hawkstone and is set to make his debut in either late April or early October. He was purchased for €45,000 at the 2023 Goffs Arkle sale.

"I said to the Hawkstone team that we should get into racing but clearly they got motor racing and horseracing confused!" Clarkson said.

"That said, Ben Pauling is a stone’s throw from Diddly Squat Farm and the Hawkstone Brewery, so I know where my hay is going. Furthermore, the Pauling family originally farmed our land and taught Kaleb [Cooper, who appears on Clarkson's Farm] all he knows about farming."

Clarkson is not the first of the former Top Gear team to venture into horse racing, with Richard Hammond owning part of the Kim Bailey-trained Subway Surf with countdown presenter Carol Vorderman.

The Hawkstonian will initially be on sale to members of the Hawkstone's club on April 22, before Old Gold Racing's waiting list opens the following day. The public sale of shares will take place on April 25.

Ed Seyfried, chief executive of Old Gold Racing, said: “We're honoured to be powering the inaugural Hawkstone Racing syndicate. Jeremy has helped transform views of agriculture with his hit television show and we are looking forward to welcoming him on the racing scene this coming season.

“Most petrolheads start by tinkering with lawnmowers; well, this lawnmower can reach speeds of 35mph over three miles while jumping hedges."

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