“I thought that, God forbid if Denis got another ban or was injured and had to miss the Festival, I’d have back-up as I don’t think Richard has anything in the World Hurdle,” said Johnson.

“He hasn’t ridden Inglis Drever before, but so what – neither had Denis before Newbury. Richard will soon know this horse.”

The jockey finished second to Inglis Drever in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle last year on Mighty Man.

With snow falling on Johnson’s County Durham gallops, the trainer took a few of his string to nearby Redcar beach for a workout on Tuesday.

“It’s still terrible up here. Inglis Drever has been down the beach. I couldn’t get any horses out but I managed to get a few to Redcar,” continued Johnson.

“All being well, unless it goes absolutely bottomless, Inglis Drever runs. I’ve been held up a little bit with preparations,” he told the Racing Post.