Bryony Frost talks to Lewis Porteous about her beloved Frodon’s part in a special Thursday double act that sent Festival racegoers into raptures world came back, there was just me and him’ ‘For a second, before the
Y OU only have to say his name once to get a sense of what Frodon means to his partner in crime Bryony Frost. Utter his name in her presence and the lights come on, her eyes widen and lips curve into the warmest of smiles. When he is in her mind the world is a better place and not without good reason. The duo have become synonymous with one another and, thanks to three consecutive wins at the Cotswold course last season, with Cheltenham. Their magical victory in last season’s Ryanair Chase being the one that defines their partnership. Almost 12 months may have passed since that tear-jerking win last March but it could have been yesterday the way Frost vividly remembers the minutest details from what was not only a landmark
occasion for horse and rider but also for The Festival TM presented by Magners itself. Frost and Frodon flying high in the Ryanair, followed in the very next race by Paisley Park and his convivial owner Andrew Gemmell hitting the perfect note in the Stayers’ Hurdle, left an indelible grin on thousands of faces during what has become affectionately branded as Cheltenham’s Golden Hour. The game-changing day started like any other Thursday for the rider, who was well aware it had the potential to be seismic but was determined to treat it as mundane. “I have to have my routine,” she says. “I’d done my homework on the race, he’d done his last piece of work and there was nothing else that could be done so I just wanted a good night’s sleep and not to overthink about it. “You’re bubbling for months
March 2020 The Festival 17
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