The touch of Frost: how Bryony gets the best out of her horses

Bryony Frost has grabbed just about every opportunity afforded to her since bursting onto the scene last year. A mix of coolness, savvy race-riding and effective horsemanship has helped her forge plenty of strong partnerships in the last 18 months. Here are some of the horses Frost has produced to their absolute best.

Milansbar

Milansbar had been looking increasingly jaded before his run in the Classic Chase in January. Two things changed that day: he had a pair of blinkers fitted, and he got what was then among the best-value 5lb claims around taken off his back. The result was a wide-margin win at Warwick and, three months later, a fifth-placed finish in the Grand National.

Given that crack amateur Jack Andrews has also ridden Milansbar to good effect in the meantime, it could be the headgear that is doing the very hardest yards, but the 11-year-old's two big days have come under Bryony Frost and she has had to use different tactics each time. All-out attack at Warwick contrasted with a study in defence at Aintree, as she guided a horse who was probably never quite good enough to the best possible placing.

Present Man

Another staying chaser and another who rewards the patience of his rider. Present Man does not have bottomless stamina: he appeared to not quite get home in April's bet365 Gold Cup. But in the last two renewals of the Badger Ales Trophy Frost has been forceful while allowing him to see out the trip strongly.

There is also the small matter of negotiating Wincanton's stiff fences. Present Man is an imposing horse and jumps well, but it still takes some doing to get round Wincanton (twice), Sandown and Aintree (he weakened into eighth in the Becher earlier this month) without mishap and sound jumping is something many of Frost's mounts have in common.

Frodon

While Frodon might now be the horse with which Frost is most readily associated, the truth is he is far from the best advertisement of her considerable ability.

Frodon might well be the toughest and most straightforward chaser in training. He races prominently, jumps boldly and accurately and digs in without hesitation. Pick a jockey at random from the top 50 and congratulations, you will have almost certainly have found a suitable partner for him.

When the horse will do everything a rider wants, the best approach is normally one of controlled aggression. That has been the hallmark of the most successful riders – think McCoy, Johnson, Scudamore, even Dettori – and it is to Frost's great credit that she has mastered this skill having only recently ridden out her claim.

Black Corton

A relationship that goes back to Frost's very first ride as a professional – a winning one at Worcester last July. Black Corton is cut from much the same cloth as Frodon: he is game and stays well. Frost's great achievement with him, as with Frodon, is harnessing it so precisely.

Their seven wins together last season came at the expense of 24 rivals in total, but he was not the best horse in every case and to get that sort of reliability from a conditional rider was rightly viewed as an early sign of Frost's talent.

Frost and Nicholls with Black Corton after their Grade 1 Kauto Star Novices' Chase victory at Kempton on Boxing DayCredit: Edward Whitaker

Marracudja

Jockeys who ride for Paul Nicholls and Neil King are going to find themselves on sound-jumping staying chasers more often than the average. The mark of a top rider is how they can adapt, and Frost already has an impressive body of evidence on that score.

Mercers Court for King at Fontwell in October springs to mind as a fine example of waiting for the right moment to strike, but perhaps the best of all came at Musselburgh, a track where Frost has ridden in just three chases, on a horse she had never ridden before.

Marracudja, then with Nicholls, is a notoriously tricky sort who often finds a way to lose. Frost nudged him into contention, an error four out no issue as she had seemingly picked her moment before the tape went up.

The pair jumped the last still half a length down on Baby King and only then did his rider ask for everything. Marracudja, who was offered no excuses up Musselburgh's relatively short run-in, was in a generous enough mood to go past with something to spare.

Members can read the latest exclusive interviews, news analysis and comment available from 6pm daily on racingpost.com