Bryony Frost, who became the first female rider to win a Grade One race over jumps at the Cheltenham Festival aboard Frodon in last week’s Ryanair Chase, missed her sole remaining ride on the Southwell card on Monday after suffering a fall in the opening race.
Frost was riding Midnight Bliss for trainer Caroline Fryer in the Toalsbet Handicap Chase and was disputing fourth place when her mount fell at the 10th fence. The rider was able to walk back to the weighing room unaided but was then taken to King’s Mill hospital in Sutton-in-Ashfield for x-rays on her left shoulder.
Jimmy Frost, her father, was saddling a runner at Exeter on Monday and spoke briefly to his daughter before she left the course. “She told me she was sore and they were taking her for an x-ray on her shoulder,” he said. “Hopefully everything will be OK.”
Frost is one winner short of reaching a half-century for the season for the first time and is currently 17th in the National Hunt jockeys’ championship.
Frodon was one of four rides for Frost at last week’s Festival meeting and she has yet to ride a subsequent winner in seven starts since that historic success. She has one booked ride on Tuesday, aboard Neil King’s Parisian Affair in the concluding bumper at Huntingdon.
Jockeys with limited experience of Aintree’s Grand National fences will be required to walk a circuit of the course with a coach before they are allowed to tackle it in the saddle. This is the latest move to improve safety and welfare at the track before next month’s meeting.
Voluntary course walks with an official coach from the British Horseracing Authority have been available to riders for several years but will now be mandatory for any jockey who has not ridden over the Grand National fences more than twice at the big April meeting.
Several of the amateur riders competing in the Fox Hunters’ Chase on 4 April, the opening day, are likely to fall under the scope of the new rule, while some professionals in the following day’s Topham Chase could also be affected, in addition to less experienced riders in the Grand National. All those required to take part in a course walk will be notified by the BHA at the declaration stage the previous day.
Huntingdon 2.00 Miss Mumtaz 2.30 Locker Room Talk (nap) 3.05 Stormy Milan 3.40 Dyliev 4.10 My Turgeon (nb) 4.45 Newquay Cards 5.15 Parisian Affair
Wetherby 2.10 Theatre Legend 2.40 Louis’ Vac Pouch 3.15 Know The Score 3.50 Border Victor 4.20 Ballasalla 4.55 Sheshoon Sonny
Taunton 2.20 Birds Of Prey 2.50 Annie Bonny 3.25 Flight To Milan 4.00 Midnight Midge 4.30 Dancing Shadow 5.05 Gonnabegood
Rachael Blackmore, who emulated Frost’s achievement with a Grade One winner over jumps at Cheltenham on Friday, is among jockeys with two previous starts over the National fences. She pulled up aboard Rogue Angel in last year’s Topham Chase and then suffered a fall at The Chair when riding Alpha Des Obeaux in the Grand National the following afternoon.
Noel Fehily, who announced his imminent retirement during last week’s Cheltenham Festival, will take the final ride of his 20-year career at Newbury on Saturday. Fehily has ridden 27 Grade One winners in Britain and Ireland, including two victories in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham.