Jockey Bryony Frost turns professional
Cheltenham Festival-winning jockey Bryony Frost is to try her hand as a professional and will have her first ride in that sphere on Sunday.
Frost will have her first ride in the professional ranks for her father, Grand National-winning rider Jimmy Frost, on Grissom in the Compare Racing Odds At bookies.com Selling Hurdle at Southwell this weekend.
Frost enjoyed her finest hour as an amateur on Pacha Du Polder (pictured) for her boss, Paul Nicholls, in the Foxhunter Chase in March.
"We've talked about it for a little while. She's been doing so well we thought it would be the best thing she could do," said Nicholls.
"She's got her first ride on Sunday. I haven't got much to run this week until the end of the week.
"She'll joining in with the other lads I've got. She rides as well as the lads, so I'm sure she'll do very well."
Frost, 22, will be represented by top agent Dave Roberts, and is eager to begin the next phase of her career.
She said: "The opportunity has come, and the support from Paul and everyone else means I am now able to get the rides. It's really exciting, it has always been the goal and what I wanted to do.
"A friend asked me what the difference was, I said point to pointing was like primary school, hunter chasing was secondary school and now I'm at university and need to pass all my grades and come out as a fully-fledged professional. They got it then!
"The name on the racecard will change, but the aim of riding winners and keep moving forward is still the same. It's exciting and being in the yard that I am now, I couldn't be in one better - Paul has given me massive opportunities and luckily it has gone our way.
"Getting to the top of the mountain is a long way up, but I'll be taking it one foot at a time, one foot in front of the other and as long as you are riding winners, if you're getting the support of owners and trainers - to give back and ride winners is what you want. You're doing your job.
"I am teaming up with Dave Roberts, which is really exciting for me for obvious reasons, he's the top man."
Reflecting on Cheltenham, she added: "That was massive, for the old horse to win for Andy Stewart and Paul at the end of a week when it had perhaps not gone quite right was class."