Frodon handed Cheltenham handicap option

Grade One winner entered for the Ultima at the Festival.

Three-times Grade One winner Frodon is among 82 entries for the Ultima Handicap Chase on the first day of the Cheltenham Festival, March 15.

Paul Nicholls’ 10-year-old began his season by winning the Champion Chase at Down Royal but having disappointed in defence of his King George crown, his latest trip to Ireland was not as successful and he was beaten a long way in the Irish Gold Cup.

He has run at five previous Cheltenham Festivals but has not run in a handicap since winning at Cheltenham off a mark of 164 in October 2020.

Regular rider Bryony Frost told Betfair: “He’s off 164 at the moment and he won at Cheltenham off that mark previously. Whether he goes there or not, I will leave that up to Paul and Mr Vogt (owner), but if he does I’ll be right there with him.

Frodon and Bryony Frost have been Cheltenham regulars down the years
Frodon and Bryony Frost have been Cheltenham regulars down the years (David Davies/PA)

“Grade One and handicap races are completely different races to ride. Grade Ones obviously aren’t so busy and you don’t have so much traffic.

“But we are on a very honest mark, that (164) is who we are.”

Aye Right, Ladbrokes Trophy winner Cloudy Glen, Kim Bailey’s Does He Know, The Shunter and Threeunderthrufive are others to note at this stage.

Sandy Thomson has entered both recent Kelso winner Empire Steel and his smart novice Doyen Breed, second to Does He Know in the Reynoldstown on Saturday.

Thomson said: “Doyen Breed hated the heavy ground, but we just needed to get some experience into him.

“He didn’t really travel on the ground, but we were absolutely delighted with the way he ran.

“He is in the Ultima and will need a bit of good ground, but that may just be a bit competitive for him at this stage of his career.

“We were obviously delighted with Empire Steel. We know he is a nice horse and he has taken it really well.

“He in the Ultima as well and he would want it soft, but he may go to Kelso for a chase a week on Saturday.”

There are 50 entries in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle, with exactly half of them trained in Ireland.

Unexpected Party is among the market leaders for the Coral Cup
Unexpected Party is among the market leaders for the Coral Cup (Zac Goodwin/PA)

They are led by the Willie Mullins-trained Gaelic Warrior, who has yet to run for Ireland’s champion trainer.

The ultra-competitive Coral Cup has attracted a whopping 110 possibles, with 57 trained in Ireland. Dan Skelton’s Unexpected Party is among the favourites with the sponsors along with Sam Thomas’ Good Risk At All.

Surprisingly the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase has only received 38 entries, which include Gary Moore’s progressive Editeur Du Gite and last year’s winner Sky Pirate.

The Pertemps Final has 53 entered with Sporting John amongst them, while last year’s winner The Shunter is one of 67 in the Plate Handicap Chase.

There are 21 Irish entries among the 63 possibles in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase, 46 of the 81 in the McCoy Contractors County Handicap Hurdle are trained in Ireland while last year’s runner-up Langer Dan is one of 110 in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle.

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