Nico de Boinville made his return to the saddle a winning one with a front-running success aboard The Expensive One in the Dragonbet Born From The Betting Ring Novices’ Handicap Hurdle at Stratford.

De Boinville has been sidelined since he was kicked in the back in a fall at Plumpton on Easter Monday. The 36-year-old suffered spinal and neck injuries that required him to wear a brace and he remained patient with his recovery.

All the hurdles in the home straight were omitted due to a low sun, but it made no difference to the Nigel and Willy Twiston-Davies-trained The Expensive One, as the 5-4 favourite immediately went to the front of the field and held off the challenge of Fourtowns to win by two and a quarter lengths.

De Boinville told Racing TV: “I think I’ll come on for the run. He’s a lovely horse and a great horse to come back on. Sammy Twiston-Davies gave me some great instructions early on and thank you to the whole team of the Twiston-Davies’ for putting me up.

“It was tough (being sidelined), it was a fracture of the neck and fractures in the spine so it was a slow summer to start with and just delighted to be back under way. You just want to be back here. We’ll just enjoy today and go and have a good time.”

It was no such luck for Jonjo O’Neill Jr, who was also back in the plate for the first time since April.

O’Neill has been recovering from a back injury that was aggravated by a fall from Dancing City in the bet365 Gold Cup in the season finale at Sandown.

He could only finish third on Trapista for his father Jonjo in the Best Odds Guaranteed On dragonbet.co.uk Handicap Chase, as Sleeping Satellite (7-2 favourite) pulled away for a one-and-a-half-length victory.

The Ben Pauling-trained Just Chasing May (1-2 favourite) made it four wins from four this season with a straightforward seven-length victory in the Dragonbet Proud Sponsors Of Stratford Racecourse Handicap Chase.