Bryony Frost and Frodon win again

"He's just so hungry to win," said ecstatic Devon jockey Bryony Frost after Frodon, one of the most popular horses in training, had galloped to victory in the 61st Badger Beer Chase at Wincanton on Saturday.

Frost and Frodon, who was winning for the 19th time, didn't have it all their own way, but they gradually took control and then jumped their rivals into submission, winning by three lengths from the Neil Mulholland-trained Lord Accord at odds of 9/4.

"It was an amazing performance - he's a legend of a horse," said Frodon's trainer Paul Nicholls.

Frodon, who carried top weight of 12 stone, had been off the course for 235 days and had not won since lifting the Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal 12 months ago.

Nicholls switched the ten-year-old gelding from a defence of that victory in Ulster, because of the soft ground there, but Frodon coped perfectly with the firmer conditions in Somerset.

"We are out there to be shot at.  It was greasy, and it took all of his intelligence to help me," said Frost.

The win took Frodon's career winnings to nearly £1.1 million.

While Frost was celebrating her superb victory at Wincanton, the dust was also settling at Exeter Racecourse, where the outstanding Greaneteen waltzed to victory in the Haldon Cup.

Greaneteen, also trained by Nicholls, had won under the guidance of Bryony Frost earlier in the season but this time carried Harry Cobden to an emphatic victory.

The jumping was imperious, as Greaneteen somehow grew in strength and power as the race developed, winning with ease ahead of stablemate Dolos.

“That was a seriously good performance,” Nicholls told the Racing Post. "He's never really had the credit he deserves, he'll go straight to the Tingle Creek now then we might go to the Champion Chase. He was only beaten two lengths in it two years ago and he's twice the horse now.

“He's really the finished article. He's mature, he gallops and it was relentless there. Off 168, that's an amazing performance in a handicap. Denman won the Hennessy off 174 and that's nearly up there with that. I had one bet, it was him. I honestly believed he'd win.”