Cyrname likely to miss Sandown finale as Nicholls star skips clash with Altior

Altior looks likely to take sole star billing for Saturday's jumps finale at Sandown, with the weather forecast not promising enough rain for Cyrname to join in the fun.

The much-anticipated duel between the two highest-rated jumpers in Britain was dashed on Thursday, when connections of Cyrname decided the ground was too quick to run him in the 2m Grade 1 bet365 Celebration Chase.

Trainer Paul Nicholls will revisit the situation on Friday morning and look at how much rain is forecast overnight into Saturday, as Cyrname has the option of the 2m6½f Grade 2 bet365 Oaksey Chase, but the outlook is not promising from that perspective.

The ground on the jumps course was on Thursday good, good to firm in places, and clerk of the course Andrew Cooper reported: "Once the supposedly unsettled spell of weather began yesterday, thus far at Sandown we wouldn't have even seen a millimetre of rain.

"It's threatened at times but the showers have failed to materialise. The risk of showers between now and the close of play tomorrow is still there, but I think they'll be well scattered and nothing particularly heavy."

Conditions are set to change on Friday evening into Saturday, but the amount of rain forecast is unlikely to alter the going drastically.

"It's supposed to be turning windy from Friday evening onwards and into Saturday," Cooper added. "There could also be squally spells of rain overnight and through Saturday.

"Quantity-wise the Met Office have suggested by Saturday afternoon we could have seen 5mm."

Watering is taking place on a 48-hour cycle for the jumps course to maintain conditions, and Cooper said: "We'll keep watering but we're working hard to stand still. Rain will assist, but on this sort of forecast we're unlikely to ease dramatically, although hopefully we will end up near good ground."

Altior bids to win his 19th race in succession to surpass the record of Big Buck's for most consecutive victories in the Celebration Chase, a race he has won for the last two seasons.

He is set to face five rivals, including Cyrname's stablemate Diego Du Charmil and Champion Chase third Sceau Royal. God's Own, Vosne Romanee and Darebin complete the field.

Altior: 18 wins in a rowCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

Saturday's other feature race, the bet365 Gold Cup, has attracted a maximum field of 20 runners, with four-time course winner Le Reve the last horse to get into the prestigious £150,000 Grade 3 handicap chase.

Bryony Frost, who will collect the Stobart conditional jockeys' trophy on Saturday, makes her comeback from injury and rides Present Man in the bet365 Gold Cup.

Get exclusive insight from the track and live tipping with Raceday Live - our up-to-the-minute service on racingpost.com and the Racing Post mobile app