Frodon and Bryony Frost returned to winning ways with a typically game performance in the Unibet Silviniaco Conti Chase at Kempton.
The pair created headlines in the Ryanair Chase at last season's Cheltenham Festival, as Frost became the first female rider to win a Grade One chase at the big meeting.
However, the first half of this campaign had not gone to plan for either, with Frodon disappointing in his two runs and Frost finding winners a little harder to come by.
Adopting their usual position at the head of affairs, Frodon looked a sitting duck as Daryl Jacob loomed up on the 11-10 favourite Top Notch, with Keeper Hill also not out of it, but the race changed in a matter of strides.
As Frost asked for more, Frodon (5-4) quickened and caught Top Notch flat footed and by the last fence it was Keeper Hill (14-1) who was the main danger.
Paul Nicholls' Frodon is nothing if not game, though, and negotiated the last with aplomb, coming away to win by a length and a quarter.
Frodon is back!
— Kempton Park (@kemptonparkrace) January 11, 2020
Landing the Grade 2 Unibet Silviniaco Conti Chase in fantastic style under Bryony Frost, for @PFNicholls 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/O1vSTH74yC
Frodon was treated for ulcers after his latest run at Haydock and connections were delighted to see him back on form.
With Nicholls on holiday, assistant trainer Harry Derham said: "His ulcers were quite bad, to be honest. We had to treat them. That was nice and was a bit more like it today.
"He jumped out to the left which wasn't ideal. We will go for the Denman Chase next, then go from there. Paul had it in his head to go to the Denman Chase after this and that is what we will do. He is in the Ryanair and the Gold Cup.
"He is a fairly genuine horse, but he is probably getting a bit cute in his old age as a couple of times he was just flicking his ears.
"Every time one got to him, he kept going. He probably made life a bit hard for himself just shifting out to the left, but it is good to get him back winning again.
"It has not been testing (at home), we just gastroscoped him after the Betfair Chase as Paul felt we were missing something and fortunately that showed up and we sorted that out. He is now back to good form.
"I am of the belief there is more to come from him. I said earlier in the week he is in good nick, but I don't think he is as good as we can get him and I would like to think as time goes along this season, he will get better."
Burrows Edge (5-1) ran out a fortunate winner of the Unibet Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle.
The Nicky Henderson-trained runner looked booked for third at best approaching the final flight as Debestyman seemed sure to give Suzy Smith a valuable winner, only to make a bad blunder and get rid of Micheal Nolan.
That left Olly Murphy's favourite Notre Pari in the lead, but as soon as his supporters thought they were going to collect, he also fell at the same flight.
All the while Burrows Edge was plugging on up the rail, having been sent wide for most of the two miles and five furlongs by Nico de Boinville, and he came clear to win by nine lengths from Vive Le Roi (16-1), with Echiquier (8-1) back in third.
Burrows Edge was returning to hurdles after falling on his chasing bow at Ludlow last month and Henderson, who was winning the race for a fourth time, is likely to stick to the smaller obstacles with his charge.
He said: "That looked as if he is was well stuck in the mud at three out.
"He had a fall and you could still see he had Ludlow on his mind and he is a bit like that. I won't say he isn't brave, but he has a mind that takes plenty of clearing."
😲😲😲 Burrows Edge wins the @UnibetRacing Lanzarote under @NdeBoinville - somehow!
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) January 11, 2020
Third success in the last 10 years for @sevenbarrows in the race.
Desperate luck for connections of Debestyman, who had done everything right to that point.
Results > https://t.co/BnGTfBq5GU pic.twitter.com/Gg1W75TVQx
