• Queen's Birthday Honours List

Legendary trainer Cecil given a knighthood

Sir Henry Cecil © PA Photos

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Racing trainer Henry Cecil was awarded a knighthood in the Queen's Birthday Honours List in acknowledgement of an astonishing career.

Cecil's record boasts a stunning 72 Royal Ascot winners, in addition to 25 British Classic victors. He has also claimed the champion trainer award on 10 occasions.

The legendary trainer led a star-studded awards list that saw England coach Andy Flower and captain Andrew Strauss handed OBEs for their roles in England's Ashes victory on Australian soil. Alastair Cook, who hit 766 runs to post the highest Test series total by an Englishman in 80 years, received an MBE.

"It is a great honour to receive this accolade," said Strauss. "It's one of the better items of post you get through the letterbox - certainly better than a gas bill!

"It is wonderful to receive OBEs and MBEs. We have achieved something but are nowhere near the end of the road yet, and will continue to strive to improve.''

Lee Westwood was awarded an OBE after his rise to the world No. 1 ranking in golf earlier this year.

And there was recognition for two of Britain's key gold medal hopes ahead of next year's Olympic Games, with Jessica Ennis and Phillips Idowu both receiving MBEs.

"When I heard I was to be given an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours I felt so proud,'' Ennis said. "It is hard to put into words what it feels like to get such an honour in recognition of my sporting achievements.

"I love my sport and can't think of anything I would want to do more, and to be recognised for the years of hard work and the success I have had over the past two years means so much."

Mark Cavendish gets an MBE after winning five stages in the Tour de France, while British Swimming chief executive David Sparkes and former British basketball international John Amaechi were given OBEs.

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