The next three weekends of relentless action will put us within touching distance of a definitive answer

Cheltenham opens its doors for the final time before the festival meeting for an eight-race Trials Day card on Saturday, marking the start of a frenetic 15-day period of action during which, according to recent figures as least, trainers will apply the finishing touches to at least half of the runners and about 60% of the winners over the four days in March.

And this year it will do so amid a refreshed sense of optimism, both at the track and in British jumping as a whole, that things are (finally) on the up.