Nicky Henderson had a shocker with his novice hurdlers last season - but it's a totally different outlook now

Britain was successful in two of the four novice hurdles at last season’s Cheltenham Festival – but one leading trainer seriously lacked firepower in the division.

Nicky Henderson saddled just four runners across those races. Three returned at odds of 22-1, 25-1 and 150-1 and finished down the field, while Luccia, one of three Henderson runners in the Mares Novices’ Hurdle, fared best when a beaten 6-4 favourite in fourth.

It was just the third season in the last decade the Seven Barrows stable failed to win a Grade 1 novice hurdle, and Henderson saddled just two runners in such races in Britain, a number that rises to three when including top-level juvenile hurdles. However, the early signs suggest the Lambourn powerhouse will enjoy much more success in the division this campaign.