Frodon (far side) and Galvin are upsides at the last© Photo Healy Racing
The Ladbrokes Champion Chase (Grade 1) was a thrilling contest with Frodon (3/1) and Bryony Frost coming out on top after a great tussle from the second-last with Galvin (3/1).
Frodon made the running in customary fashion but looked vulnerable racing past the by-passed third last fence as three of his rivals moved up just behind him.
Gold Cup winner Minella Indo (5/4 fav) and Delta Work could find no more from two out where Galvin and replacement rider Jamie Codd (substituting for Davy Russell) moved on terms with the leader.
As is also his wont, Frodon dug in tenaciously and despite a slight error at the last he regained the lead on the run-in to beat Galvin (also not fluent at the last) by three quarters of a length with Minella Indo a further four and a quarter lengths back in third.
A terrific race which lived up to its billing and was a great spectacle for the large crowd in attendance.
Winning trainer Paul Nicholls was absent and it was the winning rider who paid tribute to the tough and talented 9-year-old by Nickname.
"What more can you say about him? That was tough. The uncertainty of where we were going out there and he was having a good look around.
"I always preach about his determination and that it is infectious and that you can beat anyone when you are on him, but you really can because he believes he can.
"The feeling that when you think you are beaten the world swallows you up. Have you gone too hard on him? Have I got any legs left? You give everything to him and you see if there is anything left as we need it now. He answers you because he wants to.
"What is that 18 races he has won in his lifetime? It's just phenomenal. Testimony to Paul (Nicholls) to have a horse coming out every season again and again with the same enthusiasm. It is exactly what he is a master of.
"How cool is it to be a jockey that has added to that record (fifth win for Nicholls in this race)?
"It's a great track - a big, galloping track. The ground is a bit tacky. The fences are alone and the inside is a lonely place with not many rails so you need an honest horse. He goes slightly left as well and there was a couple I got in tight. I think that was just him trying to work it out.
"It took me halfway around to realise 'ah yes Bryony sit still and let him do it'."
On the pace of the race, she said: "Over with us that's kind of how are races are ridden. We don't hang about in a lot of our big races.
"I spoke to dad this morning and I have watched a lot of Irish racing and we could keep it fairly steady and quicken massively. I felt my asset is my jumping (though) and I knew I was 110 per cent fit. I had done a good piece of work on him and Holly who rides him every day says he is a million dollars so I had to believe in him.
"Doesn't he just improve every time?"
Frodon's price for the King George Chase at Kempton was cut to 5/1 from 12/1 with Paddy Power. The same firm shortened Galvin from 25/1 to 16/1 for the Gold Cup and from 20/1 to 16/1 for the Grand National.
Quotes from Michael Graham
