France, Frodon and her one big regret - Bryony Frost opens up on her career and doesn't rule out a switch to the Flat

Bryony Frost has largely kept her counsel since moving to France last year but has opened up about the switch and much, much more in a wide-ranging interview this week given to bookmakers BoyleSports. Here's everything you need to know . . .

Moving to France was a much-needed change

Frost has forged a successful career in France, where she is the retained rider for powerful owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede. Her move followed a hugely successful time in Britain, which included King George VI Chase glory on Frodon five years ago and further Grade 1 wins on the likes of Greaneteen and Black Corton.

However, Frost was also subjected to a campaign of bullying and harassment by fellow jockey Robbie Dunne, who consequently served a ten-month ban.

She said: "You go through life, and you go through things for a reason. I stood up for the fact that racing had no code of conduct at that point, and it needed to be noticed.

"Without going too far into it, I kept myself in Britain long enough to show that you can go through it. You can have a lot of people turn their backs on you for whatever their reasons. My thinking was that you must love the moment you're in – and I wasn't. So, I needed to change."

The Flat could be calling

Even though she has been making waves over jumps in France, Frost has not ruled out trying her hand on the Flat there.

She said: "There are more female jockeys on the Flat, especially with the two kilos [weight allowance] – that's a mega play.

"There’s a good handful of us over the jumps. I've ridden a little bit on the Flat, actually, because I found myself a lot lighter than I was in Britain. So I could have a few spins at the 60-62kg mark. The changing rooms are good, and at the Paris tracks, the girls even have their own valet on the Flat. So that shows you how busy they are."

Bryony Frost: 'The move wasn't just for the summer or short term. The chapter had turned'Credit: Michael Steele

She might venture back to Britain more

Frost has already ridden in Britain this season, although without success, and has not ruled out more frequent ventures back to her home country.

"The move wasn't just for the summer or short term. The chapter had turned," she said. "I told the trainers that I worked for, and I told my closest owners what I was going to do. A good handful of them were really upset that they were going to lose me. But it was a moment that needed to happen.

"However, I come back and ride for the people whom I love to ride for. A few of my old owners asked me to come back and ride a few of their horses. So, if I'm not out here for double green, then yes, I'll drop back in."

The Brits still cheer for her in France

Not that riding in France means Frost has been completely lost to British racegoers – as she has discovered herself.

"The amount of English people that I have seen on the racetrack that have come to watch and combined it with a bit of a getaway holiday is amazing," she said. "I hear, 'B, B! We’ve come to watch you race and have a little bit of a getaway.'

"I'm starting to be supported by owners from England as well, which is amazing. They can see that out here, you can have the best of both worlds."

One horse still gives her goosebumps

If there was one horse who truly put Frost on the map, it was of course the mighty Frodon – winner of the Ryanair Chase in 2019 and the King George in 2020.

Frodon: winner of the King George in 2020 under FrostCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

On that Kempton victory, she said: "It was one of those races where it was just blissful. We cruised around, and we took these amazing opportunities to get oxygen into his lungs, and he was faultless in his jumping. I remember getting halfway around the apex of the last bend, and I said to him, 'We've got to go, Frody, we've got to try and keep going.'

"I still get goosebumps now thinking about the moment when I told him we had to go. He went, and he drove his hind legs into the ground for one last drive. We went to the very end of our tank that day, but he gave everything, and I gave everything to take one of our biggest victories."

She has one big regret

That victory came during the year of Covid – which meant it was played out in front of empty stands.

"In the King George, with all its history, not having the crowd to cheer him home meant it didn't touch the heart as much as perhaps when he won the Champion Chase at Down Royal in 2021, or the Ryanair at Cheltenham in 2019," she said.

"Then, you could share your moment. Our sport really is about sharing the moment."

Read more:

'He's like a caged bull' - Haiti Couleurs back in rude health and on the Welsh Grand National trail 

Last year's King George one-two on course for 'fantastic' Kempton rematch as build-up to festive showpiece intensifies 

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