Bryony Frost and Frodon are likely to head the market for the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham on Saturday, when success could secure a first ride in the Cheltenham Gold Cup for the up-and-coming jockey aboard the horse she rode to victory in the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup last month.
Frodon is top-priced at 9-4 for the feature race on Cheltenham’s afternoon of Festival trials, ahead of Elegant Escape, the Welsh National winner, on 7-2. Two runners from the Nicky Henderson stable, Terrefort and Valtor, are next in the betting at 4-1 and 7-1 and it is 8-1 bar the four.
Frodon has already won three times at Cheltenham and is among the leading 10 chasers in training on ratings after his latest success under top weight. All his wins to date have been at around two-and-a-half miles, however, and he must shows he stays Saturday’s extended three-mile trip to earn a place in the Gold Cup.
Black Corton, who gave Frost her first win at Grade One level in the 2017 Kauto Star Novice Chase at Kempton, is also entered for the Cotswold Chase but Paul Nicholls, who trains both horses, confirmed that Frost will ride Frodon. “Bryony rides them both all the time but she will definitely be on Frodon,” Nicholls said. “Black Corton is unlikely to run, we put him in there just in case Frodon trod on a stone or something.
“Frodon just loves the track and there’s no reason why he won’t stay, so let’s give it a try. With the rating he’s got now [169, joint seventh among chasers alongside Might Bite] he needs to be in races like this.”
Frodon is currently available at 33-1 for the Gold Cup but his price would be expected to shrink abruptly if he could win on Saturday. Elegant Escape is also a 33-1 chance for the showpiece event in March, while Valtor is 50-1.
Minella Rocco, the runner up in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March 2017, is also in line to run in Saturday’s race having not been seen in public since a fall in the Irish Gold Cup in February 2018. “Minella Rocco is in good form and the intention is to run in the Cotswold Chase,” Frank Berry, racing manager to the gelding’s owner JP McManus, said. “He is also in the Sky Bet Chase [at Doncaster], but I would think the ground is going to be too quick for him [there]. He has been ready to roll for a few weeks now but we have not been able to run him because of the ground.”
In the case of the juvenile hurdle which opens Saturday’s card, it remains to be seen whether Simon Munir and Isaac Suede will be keen to pitch in Adjali, from Nicky Henderson’s stable, against Torpillo, who is trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies. Both are quoted at around 16-1 for the Triumph Hurdle in March and this race, which has produced the Triumph winner twice the last four seasons, is an obvious stepping stone, but their retained jockey, Daryl Jacob, can only ride one and there are several more Triumph trials in the weeks to come.
For now, the bookmakers have Torpillo as the 7-4 favourite for Saturday’s race with Adjali at 3-1, while Henderson’s Challow Hurdle winner, Champ, is a 6-4 chance for the Ballymore Classic Novice Hurdle with his stablemate Birchdale, who has far less experience over hurdles, next in the list at 9-2.
The most valuable card in Britain on Tuesday is on the Tapeta at Newcastle, where the card includes a fast-track qualifier for the Sprint on All-Weather Finals day at Lingfield on 19 April, with £19,000 on offer to the winner.
Encore D’Or (5.45) has not been to the track for 95 days but Robert Cowell has demonstrated his masterful touch with sprinters many times in the past and his seven-year-old’s latest second place at Dundalk was a particularly good run on the clock.
The handicapper has dropped Avenue Of Stars (7.45) by 1lb in the weights since his latest good run over course and distance and he could well take advantage. Pinnata (5.15) is also in good form and worth backing at around 4-1 in the valuable seven-furlong handicap, while over the jumps, Chef D’Equipe (1.10) won well when returning to hurdles last time and can follow up at Leicester.
Forth Bridge (3.40) should also go close on the same card, while Arthurs Secret (1.25) is the pick up at Kelso.
Kelso 12.55 Take A Break 1.25 Arthurs Secret 1.55 Alizee De Janeiro 2.25 Red Indian 2.55 Northern Soul 3.25 Sky Khan 3.55 Fostered Phil
Leicester 1.10 Chef D’Equipe 1.40 Burbank 2.10 Dame Du Soir 2.40 Boughtbeforelunch 3.10 Falcon Sun 3.40 Forth Bridge 4.15 Tara Well
Newcastle 4.10 Zubayr 4.45 Rey Loopy 5.15 Pinnata 5.45 Encore D’Or (nap) 6.15 Royal Prospect 6.45 Havana Rocket 7.15 Briyouni 7.45 Avenue Of Stars (nb)
Tips by Greg Wood.
Lingfield
1.00 Swiss Cross 1.30 Hic Bibi 2.05 St Peters Basilica 2.40 Kyllachy Gala 3.10 Tynecastle Park 3.45 Vandella
Hereford (abandoned)
Catterick Bridge (abandoned)
Kempton Park
4.40 Kyllukey 5.15 Alpasu 5.45 Songkran 6.15 Toffee Galore 6.45 National Glory 7.15 Baasha 7.45 Ember's Glow 8.15 Mrs Benson
