Hopes are high at Henrietta Knight’s West Lockinge Farm stables, near Wantage, that her string for this jumps campaign can set her on an upward curve again.

Now in her 24th season, Knight has racked up an impressive 698 National Hunt winners in Britain plus six on the Flat, and two over jumps in Ireland – the latter courtesy of the legendary duo Best Mate and Edredon Bleu.

But last term saw her lowest return since her first season as she compiled just six winners.

“We were way down,” admitted Knight after she welcomed around 250 visitors – including some from as far away as Portsmouth – to her open day on Sunday.

“The horses just didn’t seem to be finishing their races.”

To that end a number have undergone wind operations – including the promising Silver Roque, Airdrie and The Queen’s Harvest Song – who were among 33 of her string on parade.

One horse who was finishing his races was stable star Somersby, who ran Master Minded to a short head in the Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot, before ending the campaign by finishing third to Paul Nicholls’s champion in the John Smith’s Melling Chase at Aintree.

His problem was a tendency to make mistakes at crucial stages.

With that in mind, Knight is set to run him over longer distances this term, with a graduation chase at Kempton on Monday, October 31 earmarked for his reappearance.

“He has done incredibly well during the summer and looks a million dollars,” she told the crowd, which included jockeys Hadden Frost and Dominic Elsworth.

“We see him as a three-miler, which his pedigree says he should be, but he always makes a mistake in a race when he is about to mount a challenge.

“We think if he goes further he will have a longer time to measure his fences and will not be under so much pressure.”

Knight’s other flagbearer, Calgary Bay, who fell at the fourth fence in the John Smith’s Grand National last term, will again be aimed at the Aintree spectacular.

“He is quite forward and I’m very excited that he could have a good season,” added the trainer, who plans to run her ‘gentle giant’ at Cheltenham next month.

Knight also gave special mentions to Rock Of Allen, an impressive winner of an Irish point-to-point, Milansbar and Balbriggan, a grey her husband, Terry Biddlecombe, picked out in Ireland.

A stable favourite missing was Racing Demon, who has been sold to go point-to-pointing with Polly Gundry.

The 11-year-old won eight of his 32 starts, including two Peterborough Chases at Huntingdon, and prize money totalling £226,122.

Knight clearly retains a competitive edge, but she is not setting any targets.

“I’m really pleased with the way in which the horses are shaping up,” she added.

“I just want to have plenty of winners.”