WARWICK staged one of its most prestigious jumps meetings of the season on Saturday so it was probably the place to look for jockey of the moment Bryony Frost.

Most of her recent winners have been for boss Paul Nicholls but Wiltshire trainer Neil King booked her for Milansbar in the big race, the Grade 3 Betfred Classic Chase, and had the immense satisfaction of seeing the partnership score by 11 lengths from Cogry. Missed Approach was a similar distance away in third.

There is no doubt that horses go for Frost and her 5lb allowance is a considerable bonus. Milansbar did not enjoy himself in the rearranged Welsh Grand National just seven days earlier and unseated at the twelfth when some way behind but King tried blinkers for the first time instead of cheekpieces and he was soon vying for the lead with Missed Approach before establishing a definite advantage at the ninth.

That meant there was still a long way to go in this three-mile and five-furlong marathon but Milansbar looked a different horse here and had the race won approaching two out, rewarding his supporters at a handy 12/1. Soft going suits him and, being by Milan, stamina was never going to be a problem. Indeed, the same sire is responsible for last year’s winner One For Arthur, who won this before going on to greater glory in the Grand National at Aintree.

“I was just trying to get to know him going down to the start,” Frost said. “He’s a big, lovely-striding horse and Neil said he’d stay all day so just believe in him. I didn’t have to scrub him along at all and he romped home.”

Milansbar has a very mixed record when it comes to completing the course but form in one National or another is very important. The 11-year-old had finished runner-up in the Midlands version last year, while Cogry chased up Vicente in the Scottish showpiece. Not only that, but Raz De Maree finished second in the Welsh National before going one better recently.

BIT OF LUCK

Whether Milansbar will make the line-up is in the hands of retiring handicapper Phil Smith. Last week’s mark of 134 suggests owner Robert Bothway will need a bit of luck, although Smith goes his own way. Bothway rode in point-to-points as a young man and now, at 80, drives the tractor, does the gallops and cuts the grass at King’s stable.

It is easy enough to imagine the media attention where Frost is concerned, with newspapers and television certain to concentrate on the possibility of a woman riding the winner of the great race for the first time. She will almost certainly have a mount, with Nicholls’ plans all-important. Paddy Power are going 50/1 Milansbar, with the weights due out on February 13th.

HENDERSON’S DAY

Nicky Henderson was away in Scotland, tying the knot with long-time partner Sophie Waddilove, but television screens are never very far away and he will have been aware of winners going in at both Warwick and Kempton.

The Grade 2 Ballymore Leamington Novices’ Hurdle at the former track looked a classy affair with several recent winners but Henderson’s Mr Whipped was made 6/4 favourite and justified the confidence, keeping on well to beat Paisley Park by a length after eventual third Knight In Dubai had led nearly to the last.

There were one or two disappointments, notably Nigel Twiston-Davies’ Count Meribel, who looked smart when completing a hat-trick earlier in the season but dropped away to finish last of six here. He may have done enough for the time being.

Mr Whipped remains unbeaten and looks a talented individual but idled on the run-in after lugging towards the stands’ side, allowing Paisley Park to close on the run to the line.

He probably did no more than was strictly necessary, a view confirmed by winning jockey Nico de Boinville, and will no doubt be a member of Henderson’s awesome team for Cheltenham.

Winning owners Mike Grech and Stuart Parkin have invested heavily in bloodstock and already have a leading Supreme Novices’ candidate in Claimantakinforgan. The Albert Bartlett (8/1 with Betfred) may be Mr Whipped’s target.

Anthony Honeyball is enjoying a successful campaign and the Dorset handler landed another good prize when 9/4 chance Ms Parfois proved too good for the boys in the Listed Betfred Hampton Novices’ Chase over three miles.

Sean Bowen took his time on the mare, allowing Flintham and Duel At Dawn to dictate matters up front before sending her on with two to jump.

After her fluent win at Newbury, Ms Parfois was receiving only 2lb and galloped on strongly to account for Duel At Dawn by five lengths.

She may join Fountains Windfall as part of Honeyball’s festival team but the going is crucial.

“If it was genuinely soft ground I’d be all over the four-miler, but if they water and it’s good to soft we won’t be going near it,” the trainer said.