Bryony Frost is "really excited" about reuniting with a course winner at the Cheltenham Festival.
The first jockey to win a Grade 1 race at the meeting is getting ready to team up with Martello Sky.
A 14-1 shot for the mares' hurdle on March 15, the grey won at Prestbury Park's December fixture.
No decision has been made on whether Frodon, the horse who gave Frost her groundbreaking top level success in 2019, will be taking part.
“Just a week to go now and plenty of things are still up in the air, including whether or not Frodon gets to take his chance in the Ultima Handicap Chase on the opening day,” Frost told Betfair.
“But one ride I can confirm I’m back on now is Martello Sky in the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle the same afternoon, and she’s one I’m really excited about.
“I’ve ridden Martello Sky whenever I’ve been able to, but when she beat the former Martin Pipe Hurdle winner Indefatigable in a decent handicap for mares at Cheltenham in December, and again when she won a Listed hurdle for mares at Sandown next time, it wasn’t with me on board.
“I’d won on her at Market Rasen in October, and before that in a maiden hurdle at Fakenham last season, and luckily for me Lucy Wadham and the owners – a great bunch of people who race as The Sky Partnership – have been incredibly loyal to me.
“The betting for the race is headed by three mares who are all previous winners at the Festival – Telmesomethinggirl, Concertista and Burning Victory – which tells you how tough it’s going to be, but Martello Sky is a high-class mare herself and I think only Marie’s Rock, of Nicky Henderson’s, is a shorter price than her among the home-trained runners.
“She’s a dynamite little filly who loves the track, and I’d like to think she has a live each-way chance.”
Frost made headlines when she won the 2019 Ryanair Chase on Frodon.
He has competed at the last two Festivals – and finished fifth in the 2021 Gold Cup behind Minella Indo.
Trainer Paul Nicholls is considering dropping him down to handicap level.
“He is off 164 which is the same mark he won his last handicap off two years ago on the same course (Old Course) as the Ultima," he said previously.
“He went to Wincanton (to work) but he didn’t particularly like the soft ground. If it was soft on the first day, I’d wait for Sandown or even consider Aintree if it was good.
"His wind has always been a little bit of an issue hence why Bryony (Frost, jockey) wasn’t overly pleased with it at Leopardstown the other day and on really soft ground it just catches him out.
“If we don’t go next week, which as I said is in the balance depending on the ground, he will go to Sandown for the Oaksey Chase which he won last year.
"Then he will have a holiday and come back next season when I will have him really ready for Down Royal in October."
