NICKY Henderson celebrated being honoured by the Queen with a winner at his local track on Saturday, writes Dave Wright.

The 67-year-old Lambourn trainer, who was made a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order in the New Year’s honours list, took the Betfred Wishing You A Very Happy New Year Handicap Hurdle with Brave Eagle, who came from last place to snatch victory on the line thanks to the strong urging of jockey Nico de Boinville.

Henderson admitted: “That was one of the most extraordinary races I’ve seen for a long time.”

He went on to explain: “We ran Brave Eagle the other day in horrible ground at Exeter and I thought he hated it, but it was so bizarre down there I thought I’d give him one more try on such heavy ground.

“At halfway I had given up again, thinking he hated the ground and we’d keep him for the spring, but then he crept back into it, then he dropped out again although I don’t know how he got up.”

The 11-4 shot was last two out, but de Boinville switched to the far side when the 5/2 favourite Diable De Sivola (Nick Williams/Lizzie Kelly) fell.

The front-running Theligny (Tim Vaughan/Alan Johns) looked all over the winner before the strong-finishing Brave Eagle got up in the closing stages to win by a half-length.

Watched by a crowd of close to 9,000, the £40,000 Betfred Challow Novices’ Hurdle produced a tremendous finish with the 15/8 favourite Poetic Rhythm (Fergal O’Brien/Paddy Brennan) holding off Mulcahys Hill (Warren Greatrex/Adrian Heskin) by a short-head.

It was a first Grade One victory for Gloucestershire trainer Fergal O’Brien who commented: “That means the world – it is brilliant for everybody.”

Nayati, the only newcomer to hurdles in the field of seven, won the Betfred “£5K BTO Cash Draw Today” Juvenile Hurdle in good style. The 10/11 favourite, trained by Alan King and ridden by Wayne Hutchinson, beat Kapdad (Gary Moore/Joshua Moore, 12/1) by two and a quarter lengths.

Another Gloucestershire trainer, Kim Bailey, won the Betfred “Supports Jack Berry House” Introductory Hurdle with the strongly-backed 6/5 favourite First Flow (David Bass), who went clear from the second last hurdle and scored impressively by 20 lengths from 3/1 chance Dell Oro (Gary Moore/Joshua Moore).

Four runners went to post for the Betfred “Racing’s Biggest Supporter” Novices’ Limited Handicap Chas, but only two finished after Chirico Vallis (Neil Mulholland/Noel Fehily) fell at the sixth and Got Away (Oliver Sherwood/Leighton Aspell) came down at the eighth.

First home was 7/4 shot and top-weight Saint Calvados, who made all under Aidan Coleman on his first start for trainer Harry Whittington.

The four-year-old saw off the 13/8 favourite Remiluc (Chris Gordon/Tom Cannon) by nine lengths.

The Betfred Mandarin Handicap Chase was won by 6/1 chance Daklondike (David Pipe/Tom Scudamore), while the Betfred TV Limited Novices’ Handicap Chase saw Rocklander (Tom George/Adrian Heskin) make all to beat Duke Des Champs (Philip Hobbs/Tom O’Brien) by three-and-a-quarter lengths.

The first action of 2018 at Newbury takes place on Wednesday, January 17 with Betfair Super Saturday following on February 10.