ALL the talk at recent media visits to Seven Barrows has tended to focus on one horse, but while the saga of Sprinter Sacre’s attempt to regain his Champion Chase crown continues to rumble, Nicky Henderson was particularly excited by a new era being ushered in, describing his current crop of novice hurdlers as “really good through and through”.

Henderson looked a resurgent force when landing seven races at the 2012 Cheltenham Festival, but after capturing the trainers’ title the following season, he rather surprisingly ceded dominance to old rival Paul Nicholls last term.