Champion couple: fantastic Frodon and Bryony Frost star again in Down Royal epic

A high-quality field does not always mean a high-quality race, but the Ladbrokes Champion Chase provided both and gave further notice, if it were needed, of the never-say-die attitude of the admirable Frodon, as he recorded his 18th career success and gave trainer Paul Nicholls his fifth win in this race.

Frodon made all under Bryony Frost, who set her own tempo and let her partner use his fine jumping, but the writing looked on the wall as three of his four rivals came to challenge at the second-last, including Rachael Blackmore on Gold Cup winner Minella Indo who was nosing up the winner's inside.

By the time they reached the last though, the challengers were down to one as Jamie Codd had drawn upsides on National Hunt Chase winner Galvin.

The suspicion was Galvin's superior stamina would prove crucial on the run to the line – but not a bit of it. Frodon responded to all Frost's urgings and prevailed by three-quarters of a length, with Minella Indo a further four and a quarter lengths away in third and Delta Work an honourable fourth, less than a length behind the Gold Cup winner.

We knew Frodon was tough, but this was something else. Frost commented: “Oh, the way they came to us from two out! I've always said that his determination is infectious and you believe you can beat anyone, but you really can because he believes he can. It's unbelievable!

“When you think you're beat, the world swallows you up, you feel you've done all you can. Have I gone too hard on him? Has he any legs left? And he answers you, because he wants to, he wants to win. That's 18 races he's won in his lifetime and that's just phenomenal.

“It's testimony to Paul. To have a horse like this come out every season, with the same enthusiasm again and again, is exactly what he is the master of. He contains their enthusiasm, he makes them bubble at home and brings them to the track feeling a million dollars and they can overachieve every single time. It's so cool to be a jockey to add to his record in this race.”

Frodon puts in a mighty leap for Bryony Frost on their way to victory in the Champion Chase at Down RoyalCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

She added: “It's such a big galloping track out there and the inside can be a lonely place without many rails, so you need an honest horse. I knew his main asset was his jumping and that he was 110 per cent fit. Holley Evans who rides him at home said he was in great health. I just had to believe in him.”

Nicholls, who was watching events from Wetherby, was unstinting in his praise of both horse and jockey.

He said: "It was fantastic watching that. What a gutsy horse. They jumped the last together and to stay on strongly and beat the Gold Cup winner and Galvin, it was probably one of his best runs.

"It shows three miles on a track like that suits him very well. I'm so proud of him. It was a great ride by Bryony. We had a plan, we got him very fit. He has to be at his best first time out to produce a level like that so to get him like that is a credit to the team at home."

Frodon was cut to 6-1 (from 10) by Ladbrokes for a repeat success in the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton.

For runner-up Galvin it was a career-best effort, and if he had jumped the last fence a little more cleanly it could have been a different story. It was a little bittersweet for his rider Jamie Codd, who could not ride the horse at Cheltenham in March due to Covid, and came in for the mount only after Davy Russell was stood down after a fall earlier in the day.

Codd said: “I'm very privileged his owner Ronnie Bartlett would put me up in a race like this. He gave me a great spin, I know him well from home. We were taking on an exceptional horse in Frodon – he's a King George winner – but my lad is only seven and is coming forward, so it augurs well for the rest of the year. We know what sort of horse we have now.”

Henry de Bromhead was far from downbeat about the performance of Minella Indo, who was on and off the bridle in the second half of the race and finally ran out of steam between the final two fences. There looks to be plenty of improvement to come.

He said: “He ran well. Rachael said he was a bit stuffy down the back there but I'm delighted with him. I thought his jumping was brilliant. On to Christmas now. Whether it's here or Kempton I'm not sure, but we're strongly considering going to Kempton.”

Frodon and Minella Indo could be booked for their next round at Kempton on Boxing Day – and that is a ticket that sells itself.

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