Milansbar wins the Betfred Classic Chase at Warwick under superb Bryony Frost ride
Neil King's dour stayer is often a tricky ride but he was promient throughout for Bryony Frost as he turned the Betfred Classic Chase at Warwick into a procession.
LIFE keeps getting better for Bryony Frost.
Fresh from Grade 1 glory over Christmas the talented young rider landed the £75,000 Betfred Classic Chase on Milansbar at Warwick yesterday.
She had Neil King’s strong stayer up with the pace throughout. After seeing off the challenge of Missed Approach it was clear the pair were going to collect turning for home.
Bryony Frost and Milansbar win the Classic Chase at Warwick
The 12-1 shot – wearing blinkers for the first time - popped over the last two fences and drew right away from runner-up Cogry for an 11-length success.
Frost beamed: “He’s polite, lovely big-striding horse. Neil said to believe in him but to remember you might have to be scrubbing for a long way. It wasn’t like that - my arms got more work than my legs today.
“The Welsh National didn’t go to plan. He got swallowed up – he’s got an opinion so he didn’t like it. I don’t blame him.”
If racing ever needed anyone to argue it’s case Frost would have to be high on the list.
Her enthusiasm is contagious and she seems to be able to squeeze more answers into a minute than the cleverest brainbox on Mastermind.
She added: “The crowd was awesome. There was a little boy, only about four, giving me the thumbs up – that’s really cool. I like to give time to people because people have given time to me.”
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Milansbar is sure to go up a fair bit in the weights and he will need to if he is to sneak into his intended target the Grand National.
Proud owner Robert Bothway said: “The trainer phoned me up – unfortunately he couldn’t come today - and said ‘Aintree here we come’.
“We had hoped to run him in the National last year but there was a bug in the stable so we decided against it.”
Frost – whose day Jimmy won the 1989 National on Little Polveir - turns 23 the day before the world’s greatest race in April. It could make for a very happy birthday.
Another man celebrating yesterday was Nicky Henderson. His haul of four winners spread across Warwick and Kempton – including Lanzarote Hurdle hero William Henry – was nothing too unusual for the champion trainer. But it came on the day he married his long-time partner Sophie in Scotland.
It was another big-race success for winning jockey James Bowen after last week’s Welsh National triumph.
He said: “I can't believe things are going as well as they are – it’s incredible. Hopefully it will keep going.”