THE jumps season sometimes ends with more of a whimper than a bang, but this year looks like being very different.

Not only is there a potentially stellar Punchestown Festival just around the corner, the head-to-head between Paul Nicholls and Willie Mullins in the British trainers’ championship promises to light up the final day of that contest at Sandown today. There was also a thrilling Coral Scottish Grand National at Ayr last week, which saw Vicente strike a blow for the staying novice chasers.

Vicente had run a good time when winning at Cheltenham in November, but this took his achievements to a higher level still.

His 152 timefigure is the third-best by a novice over a distance of ground this term, behind Native River (155 at Aintree) and Seeyouatmidnight, who got his 153 by finishing third in this while conceding Vicente 3lb.

The two-mile novice division has been a superior one, headed by the incomparable Douvan (171 timefigure), but the stayers look like holding up their end as well, in valuable handicaps at least.