Frodon returns! Why you should be excited as one of jump racing's most popular horses reappears on Saturday

Fans' favourite Frodon returns to action on Saturday when he bids to retain his Badger Beer Handicap Chase crown at Wincanton (2.25). Paul Nicholls's star is approaching 12 but the trainer feels he still retains an appetite for the game and retirement is on hold for now at least. Here, we profile one of jump racing's most loved horses . . .

What has he done so far?

A 19-time winner, 18 of those victories coming for Paul Nicholls and 17 coming over fences, Frodon has come a long way since finishing third in a handicap hurdle at Cheltenham on his stable debut in January 2016.

He made his domestic chasing debut later that year, when sent off the 4-9 favourite for a five-runner novice chase at Newton Abbot, and it soon became apparent he had a special talent over fences. Frodon ended his novice chase campaign with six wins from nine starts, including victory in the Grade 2 Pendil Novices' Chase at Kempton.

Frodon gained only one win the following campaign, but on Racing Post Ratings that remains his best performance, a 17-length success in a Grade 3 handicap chase at Cheltenham in January 2018 producing a RPR of 177.

The following 2018-19 season was arguably Frodon's best. He gained four wins from five starts, his campaign culminating in a first Grade 1 success in the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Frodon (right) on his way to winning the 2019 Ryanair Chase under Bryony FrostCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Frodon began 2020 with a win in the Grade 2 Silviniaco Conti Chase at Kempton, and he ended the year back at Kempton, where he put in a career-defining performance to make all in the King George VI Chase at 20-1.

The following year Frodon travelled to Northern Ireland to contest Down Royal's Champion Chase and saw off the previous season's Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Minella Indo and Galvin for a third top-level win.

Frodon boosted his form figures when returning from an absence of 100 days or more to 31313111 when he justified favouritism in the Badger Beers Chase at Wincanton last November. He went on to finish third in the Betfair Chase at Haydock and King George and was last seen finishing ninth in the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown in April.

Where does he go next?

Frodon is set to make his reappearance in the Badger Beers Chase (2.25) at Wincanton on Saturday. He won the race off a handicap mark of 158 last year and returns off the same mark. His form figures when running in handicap chases off ratings in the 150s or lower read 012111.

Frodon14:25 Wincanton

View Racecard

Jky: Bryony Frost Tnr: Paul Nicholls

What they say

Paul Nicholls, speaking in his Racing Post stable tour: "At the start of the season we contemplated retirement after a couple more runs, but the way he's been loving his work this autumn you couldn't possibly even think of drawing stumps with him. He may be rising 12 but he’s showing the enthusiasm of a horse half that age – it's amazing. We took him for an away-day to Lambourn last week and now he'll head back to Wincanton for the Badger Beer on Saturday, where he can race off the same mark as when winning it last year. An honourable retirement awaits at some point – he deserves nothing less – but that won't happen just yet."

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