Frodon and Frost unstoppable again with Badger Beer celebration

Bryony Frost hailed Frodon as ‘incredible’ after the pair wrote the last chapter in their remarkable partnership together when raising the roof at Wincanton this afternoon with a sensational weight carrying performance in the 61st Badger Beer Handicap Chase. Winning owner Paul Vogt added further superlatives, labelling Frodon as “a horse of a lifetime.”

Few winners at the Somerset track will receive a reception like the one the Paul Nicholls-trained 10 year old was granted after grounding his rivals into submission under Frost in the £70,000 feature.

Despite being burdened with a welter weight of 12 stone the Paul Vogt-owned gelding was sent of the 9-4 Favourite to secure the 19th victory of his career, and 11th under his regular rider Frost, and the pair did not disappoint those packed in the stands.

Although having competition for the early lead with 2020 winner El Presente the triple Grade One scorer soon found himself getting into a nice rhythm under Frost, before taking command of affairs up front after the 10th fence.

As the race developed Frodon’s rivals continued to drop away with none, except recent Cheltenham scorer Lord Accord able to mount any realistic challenge on the market leader, entering the home straight for the final time.

While Lord Accord looked a big danger Frodon was not for passing, and after jumping the last like it was the first, he bounded up the run in under Frost much to score by two and a half lengths much to the delight of those in the stands.

Surprisingly Frodon was making just his second appearance at Wincanton. On his only other appearance at his local venue Frodon landed the Grade Two ‘Rising Stars’ on this card six years ago to the day – November 5th 2016.

Having secured Grade One glory aboard Frodon in the 2019 Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, the 2020 Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton Park and the last year’s Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal, Frost was left in no doubt this victory meant as much as those triumphs.

Frost, said: “When I turned in and he gave me that boot I thought it will have to be something good to get by me. The fences were greasy but the ground staff have done a fantastic job to make it as safe as it was out there.

“Our start was fantastic. Being on the inside in the Ultima we got in an awful lot of trouble so my main instruction from Paul today was to get a clear run. It was fantastic to do it off that weight.

“Season in, season out Paul brings these horses to be timeless in their careers. He is 10 now with the miles under his belt it is phenomenal how he still performs. It is great to be a part of this team.

“I felt the most pressure today as it was a home crowd and with the local hero that he is. I’d say a lot of people have come here to see him so to deliver that win is great.

“Turning in he gave me that boot and I was like ‘here you are boy’ and just to be part of his story, and I think for anybody who knows his name, whether it is fiction or fantasy, he makes you believe in being invincible in whatever you do.

“Every race we have gone into we have batted a little bit above our weight so to come here and be the ones everyone is trying to aim at, for once to prove everybody right is just incredible.

“At home his last piece of work was brilliant and he has been squealing and trying to buck me off. He has been his normal self. There was no worries and you can never have a worry when you are riding him.”

Frost was partnering her third Badger Beer Handicap Chase winner after Present Man (2017 & 2018). She is joint second most successful jockey in the race’s history with only Timmy Murphy (five wins) being more successful.

As for triumphant trainer Nicholls, who was winning the race for a record-extending 11th time, he hailed the performance as “amazing” along with describing Frodon as a ‘legend’ of a horse.

Nicholls said: “It is an amazing performance. He is just a legend of a horse. He won the Grade Two novice chase here in 2016 as a four year old and in 2022 he is still going like that.

“He looks as well as ever and I kept thinking he is as big as a bull. It was a great performance. After he jumped the first three I was confident as he settled and got into a rhythm. It was brilliant.

“Going down the back the last time I thought they will want to be good to go by him. He gets every bit of the trip now. It was fantastic really. When he is right he is right.

“I had a few doubts whether he was quite as good but those older horses until you get them on the course you don’t know. He was fit and well and she gave him a great ride.

“We just knew (coming to the last) he was going to do it as he had his ears pricked and he never stops. It is a special day. It is big for the course, the crowds and the owner. There is no more popular winner you will see for a long time. It was fantastic.

“We spoke a lot about it as it was not an easy decision to come here over Down Royal but we did the right thing.”

Regarding future plans Nicholls confirmed that Frodon will now head straight to the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day which he was made a 20-1 chance for with William Hill.

Nicholls added: “He will go straight to the King George now. It will be a good race and he always goes well there. There is no point running him beforehand and we are looking forward to it.”

Like Nicholls winning owner Paul Vogt is looking forward to a return trip to Kempton Park after saluting the latest victory achieved by his ‘horse of a lifetime’.

Vogt said: “She is brilliant and gets the best out of him. I was apprehensive as he is 10 years old and he was carrying 12 stone so it is not easy.

“He is such a popular horse. He is a horse of a lifetime and I’m very lucky to have him. I wasn’t too bad watching it. I was hopeful. I hate it when they are hot favourites and he was very well backed.

“He will go well on Boxing Day I reckon if the ground is right. It was perfect ground for him today.”

Paul Nicholls is not normally associated with Champion Hurdle horses, but in Knappers Hill he could have one for the hurdling showpiece at the Cheltenham Festival in March following his front running victory in the Unibet Elite Hurdle at Wincanton today.

The improving six year old made it nine wins from 12 starts in the Grade Two contest with an enterprising ride from the front, which formed the second leg of a double for birthday boy Harry Cobden, a third leg of a 43.6-1 four-timer for champion trainer Nicholls.

With his stamina assured the 11-8 Joint-Favourite pressed on early on down the home straight under Cobden, who was celebrating his 24th birthday, to try and draw the sting out of fellow market leader Sceau Royal, who was bidding for a fourth win the race.

Meeting the last on a good stride Knappers Hill continued to find plenty out in front before scoring by two and a half lengths from Sceau Royal, with Grade One scorer Knight Salute a further 17 lengths adrift in third.

Nicholls said: “It was fairly obvious the only way we were going to win was by going a gallop. He jumped well, which was brilliant. He stays well.

“I texted Harry last night and said you will have to ride him like you did Greaneteen - be brave and go a good gallop. It was perfect.

“He is a good horse and he is improving. He obviously stays and we took the race to them. I was just worried a fraction about his jumping, but he is brilliant now. He is obviously a smart horse.

“Harry said he was awesome. I was slightly worried about his jumping being in front and doing it that way but he was brilliant.

“We had to do it that way (go from the front). There was no point it being a sprint. We had to put it up to them as we knew he stayed two and a half and he was fit. Jumping was the key.

“You never thought you would see Paul (Barber, joint owner) with a Champion Hurdle horse what with all these chasers he has.”

A step up to Grade One company beckons for Knappers Hill with the Unibet Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle on November 26 earmarked by Nicholls as a potential target.

He added: “I did put him in that (Fighting Fifth) then you would have to look at the Christmas Hurdle. He is just a wonderful horse.

“That was the next step up the ladder for him. He keeps improving so he could be anything.

“My ultimate aim in my mind is that I think he will be a great horse for the Aintree Hurdle in the spring on a flat track over two and a half miles as that would suit him well.”

The victory also provided the perfect tonic for Paul Barber, who joint owns Knappers Hill with Frodon’s owner Paul Vogt, following a recent spell in hospital.

Barber said: “He is a very nice horse. Paul and I both like him and that’s why we bought him and he has won virtually everything that has been thrown at him.

“He is not a big chasing sort that is true. It is nice having something different. When you have somebody like this (Paul Vogt) patting you on the back and saying it is good it is wonderful.”

As for the runner-up his trainer Alan King hinted that he might keep him fresh until the Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle on Boxing Day, where he could face a re-match with the winner.

King said: “He ran a terrific race and there are no excuses. I’m delighted with him and he has been beaten by a better horse. It was a proper test.

“We have beaten the third and fourth out of sight. I think he is as good as he has ever been but Paul’s horse is obviously progressing. It was a solid performance.

“Of course you want to win but when you get beaten fair and square I’m very happy with that.

“We will re-group but we will duck and dive and pick up prizemoney. We might just keep him fresh for the Christmas Hurdle.”

Mark Woodhouse might have been without a runner in the feature 61st Badger Beer Handicap Chase, however he saw his silks carried to glory by Don Alvaro (7-2 Joint-Favourite) in the Supporting Wincanton Town Youth Football Club Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Chase.

The enthusiastic owner, who is Family Director at Hall and Woodhouse brewery, sponsors the three mile one feature, celebrated his 40th winner as an owner following the six year-old’s 15 length victory under Angus Cheleda, which completed Nicholls haul.

Not only was it a landmark success for Woodhouse, but it was also a breakthrough moment for joint owners Nick and Helen Moger, with it being their first taste of success on the racetrack.

Woodhouse said: “It is very delightful to see those colours carried so majestically to glory. To a man, woman and child all of them in the area we have at the track have backed him.

“It was only when he jumped the last that I thought he had it in the bag. It was our 40th winner in 20 years.

“Don Alvaro read the script well for us but Bryony and Frodon winning the Badger Beer was absolutely fabulous.”

Hugos Other Horse (2-7 Favourite) kick started Cobden’s brace, along with forming the second leg of Nicholls four-timer when landing the West Country Weekend EBF Stallions ‘National Hunt’ Novices’ Hurdle 12 months after Knappers Hill claimed the same contest.

Joint owner Tim Syder might have had his arm twisted to part with the money to purchase Hang In There (5-1), but he continued looking money well spent after securing his biggest victory over fences in the Boodles ‘Rising Stars’ Novices’ Chase at Wincanton today, day two of the West Country Weekend.

After rattling up a four-timer over the larger obstacles between May and September, the Emma Lavelle-trained eight year old saw his winning sequence come to an end when pulling up at Cheltenham 15 days ago on rain-softened ground.

All eyes before the start of the Grade Two were on 4-6 Favourite McFabulous, who was making his eagerly-awaited debut over fences, however he was pulled up with more than a circuit to go by jockey Harry Cobden.

With second favourite Sebastopol also pulling up, and Uhtred out of contention, the two and a half mile prize became a duel between Mortlach and the eventual winner up the home straight.

There was little to separate the pair over the final three fences, but on the dash to the line Hang In There, who is already a Grade Two winner over hurdles, finally began to get the better of the battle before drawing clear to score by three and a half lengths under Tom Bellamy.

Syder said: “He has won about £75,000 over fences now. He will have a holiday now and will come back in the spring and I suspect we will find a target for him at Aintree.

“He certainly likes top of the ground and a flat track. He did win a Grade Two over hurdles on the Sunday of the Paddy Power meeting at Cheltenham.

“He is only small and Emma really had to shove my arm up my back to buy him. That is nine times he has won for us now and you can’t ask for more than that.”

Despite Hang In There being small in stature triumphant trainer Lavelle believes he is much better suited to them than hurdles.

Lavelle added: “I said to Tim you have got to buy him. He is an athlete that is what he is.

“He has been able to probably jump fences better than a hurdle as over a hurdle he could just clatter through one where as fences he has a bit more respect.

“He needs genuine good ground and I know people at Cheltenham who had a soft ground said it was too quick but if you have a little horse like that he was going into far.

“I know he won a hurdle around Cheltenham but I’d say he is a flat track horse. He will go have a holiday now as he has had a busy old summer.

Alan King remains confident a switch to fences could help see Wynn House (7-2) finally reach her full potential after signing off a her career over the smaller obstacles with victory in the Richard Barber Memorial Mares’ Handicap Hurdle in the hands of Tom Cannon.

Successful in the race 12 months ago, the seven year old mare took full advantage of favourite Sabrina drifting over to the stands rail late on when keeping a straight line down the centre of the track to score by four lengths.

King said: “She is tough. The plan was to go chasing with her but because it has been so firm at home we haven’t been able to school her properly.

“I did let her see six fences the other morning and she was very good. Provided she is okay after this it will be chasing next.

“I think two and a half is her minimum but she will probably get three.

“This was an afterthought as she was going to go chasing. Rupert (Anton, owner) came to see her two weeks ago and we said let’s go to Wincanton then go chasing.

“As a bumper and a novice hurdler I thought she was a serious black type mare but she plateaued out around the 120 mark but maybe fences might help her.

“She hasn’t quite scaled the heights I thought two years ago but there is still time.”