Nicky Henderson: 'The Ascot Gold Cup for Constitution Hill? That would appeal to my naughty side!'

If you didn't know better, you might think every morning for Nicky Henderson was like a never-ending visit to the sweet shop for the world's luckiest schoolboy. Even today, with the jumps season 'proper' barely a twinkle in the eye of Britain's leading trainers, here he is, planted on the infield of the covered ride, casting his eye over a circling line of talent that I imagine are the pineapple chunks and sherbet lemons of the National Hunt emporium.

The bonbons that are the Jonbons of this world will be saved for special occasions later in the campaign, but this lot in their own right are surely enough to induce a sugar rush in even the most circumspect racing fan. Henderson, though, is looking at them with a rather different perspective.

The trainer's eyesight is notoriously moderate, and his 'vision assistant' Charlie Morlock is cycling up some Scottish mountains this week – although nobody can remember approving the holiday request – but Henderson can see enough to know a problem when it arises, and as a consequence his morning is less of an exercise in blissful admiration and more of a medical examination, horse by potentially disastrous horse, in search of issues as yet diagnosed.