This is shaping up to be a vintage jumps season - and the numbers back that up

Forget Christmas, put aside thoughts of the spring festivals, the future of jump racing is now. Despite the apparent gloom surrounding the jumps season, this is shaping up to be a vintage one that might just set the tone for years to come.

There is no need to look too far ahead when each weekend is bringing a fresh sense of excitement. Cheltenham’s November meeting – still seen by many as the start of the winter season – featured Nube Negra’s Shloer Chase success, among other highlights; the following weekend was headlined by A Plus Tard’s dominant win in the Betfair Chase; and last Sunday Honeysuckle made a triumphant return in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle.

Each weekend at least one of the brightest stars is shining, and it should be the same story in Saturday’s Tingle Creek Chase with the showdown between Chacun Pour Soi, Nube Negra and Greaneteen.