Bryony hails ‘awesome’ win
THE remarkable rise of Bryony Frost continued when she landed the feature Betfred Classic Chase at Warwick on Milansbar.
The 22-year-old jockey made most of the running on the Neil King-trained 12-1 shot before coming home 11 lengths clear of Cogry.
After Frost landed the Grade One Kauto Star Novices’ Chase on Black Corton at Kempton’s Christmas meeting, her boss, trainer Paul Nicholls, suggested his protege has the potential to become the best female jump jockey the sport has seen. That prediction is looking increasingly realistic with each victory.
Seven days ago, Milansbar unseated his rider in the Welsh National but, blinkered for the first time and eased into a relaxed rhythm by Frost, the 11-year-old jumped his rivals into submission yesterday.
Frost, daughter of Grand National-winning jockey Jimmy, can now add the £43,000 first prize to a series of big, televised successes which started with Present Man in the Badger Ales Trophy Chase at Wincanton in November.
Frost said: ‘I’m really lucky. Everyone behind me is working really hard to get me on horses like this. I love my job. It’s the best world to be in.
‘Milansbar was awesome. God, he jumped and he just never stopped. I just asked him to go and didn’t even have to pick my stick up.’
Frost’s win was her 21st of the season and in many campaigns that would be enough to have her battling for the conditional jockeys’ championship. But that battle is all but over, 16year-old James Bowen having moved on to 38 with a win in Kempton’s Lanzarote Hurdle on William Henry.
The success came a week after Bowen landed the Welsh National on Raz De Maree.
William Henry’s win was perfectly timed for Bowen’s boss, Lambourn trainer Nicky Henderson, who was in Scotland getting married to Sophie Waddilove.
The nuptials should have gone with an extra swing as Henderson completed a Kempton treble with other wins from Chef Des Obeaux and Jenkins as well as lifting the Grade Two Leamington Novices’ Hurdle at Warwick with Mr Whipped.
Next month’s Grade One Ascot Chase is the next port of call for Malcolm Jefferson’s Waiting Patiently, after he extended his unbeaten sequence to six with an eight-length win from Art Mauresque in Kempton’s Listed 32Red Casino Chase under Brian Hughes.
Waiting Patiently holds entries in the Queen Mother Champion Chase and Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
Arguably the best steeplechaser currently trained in the north, Waiting Patiently could be a big player at the spring festivals but Jefferson’s daughter Ruth warned he would not be risked on ground faster than good to soft.