Frost's hopes for Present Man as whirlwind season gets better and better

Bryony Frost on Monday paid only her second visit to London and is hoping to be the first female rider to visit the Ladbrokes Trophy winner's enclosure and make history on Present Man at Newbury on Saturday.

Frost, 22-year-old daughter of Champion Hurdle-winning jockey Jimmy, has recently experienced a run of high-profile successes with victories on Present Man in the Badger Ales Trophy and two victories at Cheltenham on Black Corton for boss Paul Nicholls.

The 5lb conditional, who won the Foxhunter at Cheltenham last season as an amateur, is facing her biggest test yet in the race formerly known as the Hennessy Gold Cup which, worth £250,000 this year, will be run for the first time under Ladbrokes backing.

Present Man, who is unbeaten in two runs under Frost, carries a 4lb penalty for his latest win which is cancelled out by Frost's claim having been raised 8lb for future races. And Nicholls has a fine record in the race, having struck twice with Denman and with Strong Flow.

Present Man was a 14-1 chance with the sponsors after there were 22 acceptors on Monday. The market is headed by the Willie Mullins-trained Total Recall.

Speaking at a lunch ahead of the race, Frost said: "He's a bit of an underdog but everyone loves one of those. He's big, he's brave and he jumps well. He should travel early with good pace and be able to keep a position, which is needed in these big-field races. We'll see where we are turning in, and if he's got the engine he'll come on home for me."

ITV Racing's lead presenter Ed Chamberlin has described Frost "as the best thing that has happened to the sport for a long time" and the rider admitted her life has changed during the last month.

"The world has gone a bit mad," said Frost. "I don't see myself as different but I think people might like us.

"I'm from Devon, a bit feral, and this is my second time to London. On the train I said to Paul [Nicholls], 'You're going to have to help me out here. I'm a bit nervous about London and people. I'd need something you have for kids [a harness] otherwise I'd wander off into a crowd and be lost'."

She added: "Paul has won the races five times – three as a trainer and twice as a jockey – so that's really cool. He loves this race. It's one of the big ones and to have an opportunity to be on that stage and to ride a horse like Present Man in a race like this, it's what you want to do. It's why you're in the game."

Nicholls, with Nicky Henderson, is the most successful trainer competing in this year's race, but he has not won the prize since Denman's second victory in 2009.

The trainer, who said he may consider other options for his other entry Braqueur D'Or, said: "Bryony has done very well. Her riding has improved, she works hard. Some of those horses run really well for her.

"Present Man has astonished us. He's got older and stronger and I don't know where the improvement has come from. On his last run he has every chance at the weekend.

"Stamina wasn't an issue at Wincanton. With Bryony's claim he has 10st 2lb to carry, which is a proper racing weight. Who knows where he'll end up and whether that was a career-best last time or whether there's more to come."

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