'There's a strong possibility he will go for the Betfair Chase next month'

A more grounded trainer than Venetia Williams you will not find, but off the back of a season to write home about in 2020-21, even she could be forgiven for showing some optimism about what the coming months might have in store for Aramstone Stables.

Last season was the yard's most productive in terms of winners since 2015-16 and ended with 53 winners at a strike-rate of 18 per cent, yielding a healthy £692,496 in prize-money.

Williams has earned a reputation as a trainer who excels when the mud is flying, which might have something to do with her recruiting policy that largely centres around the schooling grounds in France but probably more to do with the fact she is not prepared to risk injury by running jumps horses on quicker ground.