Nicky Henderson described his record-breaking day at the Cheltenham Festival as ‘amazing’ after he became the all-time greatest trainer with 43 wins.

The Lambourn trainer followed up equalling legendary Fulke Walwyn’s former Festival record on day one with four sensational wins yesterday, three of which were ridden by Barry Geraghty.

It was the most winners for a trainer in a single Festival day and Henderson hailed his ‘lovely horses’ admitting he felt ‘overawed’ after passing Walwyn’s record “It was an amazing day,” Henderson told the Swindon Advertiser. “This is what it’s all about. It’s sort of what is supposed to happen but it doesn’t happen very often.

“It’s lovely, but you feel a bit overawed as you’re talking about the legendary Fulke Walwyn.

“We have been very lucky over the years and I have some lovely horses.

“It’s all about teams and people and I’m just grateful to all of them.”

Simonsig and Geraghty got Henderson’s day off to a flyer, the 2-1 favourite easing to victory in the Neptune Investment Novices’ Hurdle to ensure the Seven Barrows man became the most successful Festival trainer of all-time.

Henderson’s 9-2 shot Bobs Worth, again ridden by Geraghty, then provided a shock in the RSA Chase as the pair pipped First Lieutenant on the line, leaving the hot favourite and third-placed Grand Crus in its wake.

Geraghty brought home a hat-trick of wins for in the Sportingbet Queen Mother Champion Chase, dethrowning reigning champion and odds-on favourite Sizing Europe in a thrilling finish.

In an incident-packed race following the fall of Richard Johnson’s Wishful Thinking, the final fence was diverted coming into the home straight. However, as Sizing Europe and Finian’s Rainbow went toe-to-toe, they bumped slightly as they were forced to race around the close fence.

The bump did little to change the outcome of the race, with Rainbow continuing his strong surge past the favourite to bring home another winner for Henderson.

Henderson hailed the performance of Finian’s Rainbow, adding: “He was a bit angrier today in a funny way which I liked about him. He was very aggressive and up for it, more aggressive than he has been all season. He wanted it today, he knew where he was.”

Then 40-1 outsider Une Artiste rounded off a superb day for Henderson, winning the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle as he stormed two wins clear in the top trainers’ standings with five successes so far.

“They are lovely horses and we’ve only got a couple of chances left. We are up there and it’s just a matter of whether we can hang on for the title.”