It's a struggle for now - but small fields and short-priced favourites could soon be a thing of the past

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. This is a tale of two stages of the same jumps season and how an unprecedented dry spell which is currently driving trainers batty could actually give us all we have ever wanted. How do you feel about more big confrontations before March? And seeing more bubbles being burst? Less dodging, anyone? 

Well, folks, the 'less is more' motto we have been yelling for yonks might be about to happen by accident. 

The 'new' jumps season has actually passed the halfway mark and, whisper it ever so quietly, but Christmas Day is five weeks away on Wednesday. That hasn't half crept up on us. It feels like there was no autumn at all this year and we are going straight from summer into winter.