Guess what? They looked out at Kempton Park and have found something called grass where there used to be snow.

For those who have forgotten, this is what is used for something called jump racing. It was very popular in the last decade but has not been seen much of late.

Reports from Lambourn suggest that Nicky Henderson has been prowling his Seven Barrows yard like a caged tiger awaiting a return for jump racing. And little wonder.

A strike-rate of 55% since the turn of the year shows that the Henderson juggernaut shows no sign of slowing and the trainer may well have the answer for the williamhill.com Lanzarote Hurdle and is double-handed with Tasheba and  Duc De Regniere.

The ground is going to be testing but Tasheba ploughed through the slop to win a handicap hurdle at Sandown last month. That was over an extended two miles and Henderson believes that this step up in trip, to two miles five furlongs, will be in Tasheba’s favour but an 8lb hike in the weights may not.

It is weight, or trying to lose some of it, that may lie behind stable jockey Barry Geraghty taking the ride on Tasheba, rather than Duc De Regniere. The topweight has mixed it with the best in staying hurdles over the last two seasons, lost little caste in defeat when finishing 12 lengths third to Big Buck’s in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury in November, is unbeaten in three runs at Kempton and capable conditional jockey David Bass takes off 7lbs.

Mighty Moon is an interesting runner from Richard Fahey’s yard and has shown good form over hurdles but may just lack a little in experience for this race.

Henderson can also win the williamhill.com Handicap Chase with Aigle D’Or, who has been rated as high as 146 over hurdles but gets into this race, his first in a handicap on a mark of 135. Clearly he has yet to repeat his best hurdling form in two runs over fences but his opposition is likely to be Fistral Beach, who has been outright or joint-favourite for his last eight starts – without winning any of them.     

Another horse who has yet to win this season is Reblis, but he looks to be on the upgrade and can win the William Hill Novices´ Handicap Chase. He was narrowly beaten on his chasing debut and then lost out to Doctor Pat at Newbury last month. That form looks solid and again the use of a 7lb claimer, in this case promising amateur Joshua Moore, is not a worry.

Paul Wheeler