'I can't train bumper horses - the fact he won on debut tells you everything'

Last season was Evan Williams' finest in terms of prize-money thanks to notable victories from a number of old favourites, crowned when the 11-year-old Coole Cody was successful at the Cheltenham Festival.

The Welsh yard is not necessarily one for precocious sorts but his team for this season does still include a young chaser in Annsam, who could be a Grand National contender, and plenty of babies who might be making headlines one day.

"We have a lot of young horses and we're fortunate to have owners who allow us to go about things the way we do – we're old-fashioned if I think about it," Williams said.