Jump racing is back - and so are a host of annual previews

The nights are long, slow but heralded horses are re-emerging and more than a smattering of tweed can be seen at the racecourse, which can mean only one thing: the core jumps season is about to start.

It’s not been long since the Flat was very much the focus and we were being awed by Almanzor and wowed by Winx, but it's easy to get to grips with the jumps season thanks to a plethora of excellent memory-refreshing, winner-finding books.

While there is no shortage of horses to follow books on the market, it would be difficult to find one which matches the quality and depth of analysis available in Paul Ferguson’s labour of love, Jumpers to Follow 2016-17. Many will judge the book on the success of the 40 'leading prospects' – in which the majority are under-the-radar types that have the potential to develop into household names – but there is so much more to this quality-laden, easy-to-read gem, and its design team deserve credit for such a colourful, stylish layout.