Team of all the talents – the champion and his wonder horses at Seven Barrows

And now I think of my life as vintage wine
From fine old kegs
From the brim to the dregs
And it poured sweet and clear
It was a very good year

Nicky Henderson's blue eyes light up as he looks back over the last year. This is a man who knows a thing or two about wine, after all, so somewhere in the vaults of his memories there will always be a place reserved for the fine old kegs containing the vintage of 2017-18.

He has just been crowned champion jumps trainer for the fifth time, with a haul of prize-money in excess of £3 million, a dozen Grade 1s on the roll of honour including the King George VI Chase, the Champion Hurdle and the Champion Chase. By any calculations, including his own high standards, it has been a very good year.