IT was – fog aside – a very good Christmas for racing in the UK and the mood as the year started at Cheltenham was buoyant, with Nicky Henderson leading the charge with brilliant wins from Constitution Hill and Sir Gino, helped by having Willie Mullins runners vanquished in both those Kempton contests, while nothing says that British stables are flourishing quite like the unlikely news that Henrietta Knight is back among the winners.

Knight’s comeback to the training ranks had not been trumpeted and the quality of the horses she turned out in her first few months back in the job was a long way removed from the starts of yesteryear, with memories of Best Mate seeming very distant, but three winners in recent weeks marks an achievement and her Cheltenham winner Precious Metal was special, not just because of the venue, but also because that youngster currently resides in the box which belonged to the three-time Cheltenham Gold Cup hero.

Henderson’s superstars

Knight is emblematic for British jumps racing, as is Nicky Henderson, who cuts a Churchillian figure these days, with talk about “defending our shores” from an Irish onslaught at the festival. He has reason to be bullish at present, with the huge worries he’s had over Constitution Hill lifting with his comeback victory in the Christmas Hurdle, while he will feat nobody with Sir Gino, whose Wayward Lad win gets more impressive each time you watch it (I’m on replay number 12).

It’s important for all those who house Cheltenham hopefuls that they can believe that the Irish challenge can be met with gusto, even if the idea of winning every battle is fanciful, and there is no better time to believe than in the early weeks of the year, when that desire to build back better is strong.

It certainly helps when Willie Mullins has an off-week, as it’s fair to say he had with his Kempton runners and, while no-one is under any illusions that Willie will be misfiring in 10 weeks’ time, it’s still fun to celebrate winning the skirmishes before the big battle begins.

But this isn’t all about who takes the meaningless Prestbury Cup in March, the celebration is of British racing in good shape, of minimal meetings being lost to the weather, and of top-class prospects being uncovered and creating their own dreams at a time when renewal and rebirth are the underlying themes.

The jumping fraternity is a happier place when the likes of Henrietta Knight and Nicky Henderson are smiling, but it’s not just about individuals but about how the health of racing and the emergence of young talent makes all racing fans feel. Even those who particularly enjoyed Constitution Hill’s defeat of Lossiemouth or Sir Gino’s thumping of Ballyburn take no pleasure in the defeat of the vanquished in those contests, but merely celebrate that the home team have something to take into battle with confidence.

The victory of Banbridge was warmly welcomed as the gelding has become a popular performer, particular with habitues of Kempton, and Brighterdaysahead winning at Leopardstown has created great excitement, as it increases the chances of her running in the Champion Hurdle, and British racing aficionados love the thought of a top-notch Champion Hurdle more than they relish an easy task for Constitution Hill.

Proper competition, even if the spoils go to Ireland, is the hope here, so that proud Englishmen can hold their heads high in victory or defeat. Changes to the festival mean that we are more likely to see the best against the best and that is what the three – sorry, four – days in March are about.

Absent challenge

Last year’s event was seen as something of a nadir for the sport, with the fields for many races small and uncompetitive and the British challenge not so much lacking as absent in some races.

That isn’t an easy situation to turn around, but good work has been done to stop that situation from festering and that can only be a good thing. There is certainly more excitement about Cheltenham as an ante-post event than there has been for a while and that is a positive sign.

As always, the tendency is for the pecking order in the UK to be established at Christmas time, whereas the Irish deck continues to be shuffled until after the Dublin Racing Festival and, as a result, there tends to be an over-optimistic assessment about the strength of the British challenge for many of the races.

But that’s okay this time – the optimism may be slightly overdone, but in the dark days of January a little optimism goes a long way. What’s important is that Nicky and his army are coming into the new year with a spring in their step and it’s hard to resist the feeling that everything is going to be better this year.

Strong sentiment

For Henderson, that sentiment is particularly strong, given that his beloved Cheltenham turned into a nightmare for the Seven Barrows team last year, and the withdrawal of a swathe of Henderson runners was symptomatic of what felt like a wider malaise. I’ve never heard locals so downbeat during a festival meeting as last year and there was plenty of doom-mongering going on afterwards as well.

That feeling has thankfully passed and the level of enthusiasm has returned. It will be intriguing to see how the new-look Cheltenham will be greeted by die-hard supporters, but it should certainly start off on a positive note, if all the leading contenders can stay sound.

Of course, things can change quickly in racing and a few good winners at Christmas is no guarantee of a profitable spring, but it’s the hope that carries you through when the days are short and cold. It’s rare in these days of social media that a positive vibe can last without someone feeling the desire to prick the balloon, but it does feel like Christmas has left an abiding feeling of good cheer to carry us all forward into January, and I’m in no mood to spoil the party.