Leading trainer Nicky Henderson is closing the gap on Paul Nicholls’ sixth successive National Hunt Trainers’ Championship, however the Ditcheat handler remains William Hill’s favourite to secure yet another title – and furthermore, the firm’s odds-on market leader to train more Cheltenham Festival winners than his rivals.

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Nicky Henderson is numerically the most successful current trainer at the Festival, and he is preparing for Prestbury 2011 with arguably his strongest team ever, although he is still the lesser fancied of the pair.

Lucy Rhodes, spokeswoman for William Hill, explained to Bettingpro, ‘Having had such a good start to the season, can the Seven Barrows team maintain the momentum in March? Nicholls isn’t Champion Trainer for nothing, and he’ll ensure his string is primed accordingly for Cheltenham, so at 5-6, we have him fancied to train more Festival winners than the Lambourn challenger’.