Could Clarkson be going through the gears in years to come?

Mr Clarkson has a hard act to follow – he'll need the unshakeable self-confidence of namesake Jeremy to survive the comparisons.

Last time David Pipe won the novice hurdle on this card was when he scored with a certain Vieux Lion Rouge, who has since lifted the Becher Chase and Grand National Trial and is favourite for the National itself.

Mr Clarkson has a long way to go to match that form but doubled his hurdles tally with a gutsy effort from the front in a race now restricted to conditional jockeys.