Bryony Frost is the daughter of Grand National-winning jockey Jimmy Frost, but has wasted little time in making her own mark on the world of National Hunt racing. This quickly sparked predictions for Grand National success in some quarters. In March, 2017, at the age of 21, Bryony Frost rode Pacha Du Polder, trained by Paul Nicholls, to a neck victory over stable companion Wonderful Charm in the St. James’s Place Foxhunter Challenge Cup at the Cheltenham Festival. In April, 2018, on her first ride in the Grand National she finished fifth on Milansbar, trained by her other principal benefactor, Neil King.
The following November, Bryony Frost rode Marienstar, also trained by King, to an easy victory in the Weatherbys General Stud Book Mares’ Handicap Chase at Kempton. In so doing, she achieved 75 wins as a conditional jockey, becoming just the second woman, after Lucy Alexander, to do so. Like Lucy Alexander, Bryony Frost became champion conditional jockey, for the 2018/19 season with 49 winners. Along the way, she won the Ryanair Chase at the 2019 Cheltenham Festival on Frodon, trained by Paul Nicholls, thus becoming the first woman to win a Grade One event over hurdles or fences at the March showpiece meeting.
As a fully-fledged professional jockey, Bryony Frost – who, we should remember, is not yet 25 years old – has continued to prosper. At the time of writing, in the 2019/20 National Hunt season so far, she has ridden 31 winners, most of which have been supplied by Neil King, from 249 rides at a strike rate of 13% and earned total prize money in excess of £433,000. Recent highlights include another victory on Frodon, in the
Unibet Silviniaco Conti Chase at Kempton, in January, 2020. After a bold, front-running display, Bryony Frost was quick to praise Frodon, saying, ‘They are elite athletes, so for him to come back within three runs off that Ryanair shows you he is a tough cookie.’
Bryony Frost isn’t finished with this year yet either; not by a long shot. She’ll be on Yala Enki in 2020 Aintree Grand National. While one eye is on a potential record breaker (three Grand National wins in a row) for Tiger Roll, let’s not forget that if the 30-1 shot manages to clinch the win, Bryony will be the first ever woman jockey to have won the National. That would be a remarkable achievement, even given that she does come from a racing family.
Trainer Paul Nicholls isn’t shy of singing the horses praises “”Yala Enki’s very much like Neptune Collonges as he’s a real stayer with a touch of class. He’s run well over three and a half miles at Haydock and he’s a similar type of horse. Bryony rides him well and gets on well with him, she suits him.”
Frosts career in racing is clearly going from strength to strength and so nothing would surprise me at this point. She’s getting the opportunities she deserves and those around her clearly have faith in her ability. The very best of luck to her on Saturday 4th April.