'I don't want a repeat of Kempton' - Cobden taking different tack with Cyrname

Harry Cobden is likely to adopt much more aggressive tactics on his "horse of a lifetime" Cyrname when they go in search of a second win in Saturday’s Grade 1 Betfair Ascot Chase.

Cobden, who is still scratching his head about his mount's effort in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day in which he was pulled up for the first time in his career behind stablemate Frodon, said on Monday that prominent tactics could help the chaser add to his big-race success from two years ago.

The 22-year-old jockey said: “I schooled Cyrname this morning and he felt in really good form. Going into Ascot we may well ride him more aggressively. We don’t necessarily have to make the running but I don’t want a repeat of the episode from Kempton last time."

Betfair Ascot Chase card

Cyrname may have lost his race at the start on that occasion but Cobden is hoping the return to his favourite track and a more prominent role in the early stages could see him return to winning ways.

Of the nine-year-old's Kempton performance, Cobden, in a call hosted by Great British Racing, said: “At Kempton, I had a perfect position at the start but Cyrname just didn’t want to jump off for some reason and then he jumped the first slowly and before I knew it we were sixth or seventh.

"I was probably too far back which forced us wide and having to go around other horses, and when he hit the last down the back it was game over. I didn’t want to carry on for the sake of carrying on so I pulled him up for another day.”

Cyrname: routed a top-class field in the 2019 Betfair Ascot ChaseCredit: Mark Cranham

Cyrname first burst into the limelight when winning the Ascot Chase by 17 lengths in 2019 but was well beaten when falling at the last when attempting a follow-up last year at odds of 4-11. He is the 6-4 favourite to add to that sole Grade 1 victory with the sponsors.

Further reflecting on Kempton, Cobden added: “I was very frustrated at Kempton and Clan Des Obeaux – who I thought was one of my main dangers – was disappointing as well but somehow Paul managed to pull it out of the bag and win with Frodon who I couldn’t see winning in a million years.

"It was a great training performance but there were plenty of disappointed people in the camp as well at the time. But as it’s a team sport, we all had a smile on our face as it’s a horserace at the end of the day.”

Cobden, who said Cyrname has evolved into a more versatile and adaptable ride, added: “He came out of Kempton bouncing and we couldn’t find anything wrong with him afterwards. He’s probably a more relaxed horse now he’s older so I maybe have to change the way I ride him.

"When he won the race two years ago, it was the best experience I’d ever had on a racecourse. The way he jumped and travelled that day and beat all those good horses by 17 lengths – he’s been a horse of a lifetime and I’m lucky he’s come along so early in my career."

To keep the ride on Cyrname has meant Cobden has had to get off stablemate Master Tommytucker who he rates as one of his main dangers in the race for which ten have been declared at the five-day stage.

Master Tommytucker: set to join his stablemate at AscotCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Cobden, who was on board when the improving ten-year-old landed the Grade 2 Silviniaco Conti Chase at Kempton last month, said: “It was quite a tough decision which to ride but if Master Tommytucker turned up and blew them away on Saturday it wouldn’t surprise me as Paul's always said there's a massive race in him this season.”

Warmer temperatures have taken most of the frost out of the ground on Monday afternoon but clerk of the course Chris Stickels still expects it to be testing.

Watch Master Tommytucker win the Silviniaco Conti Chase

He said: “The frost has all but come out of the ground now which leaves us as soft, heavy in places. It’s fairly wet at the moment and we are due around 20mm of rain this week, mainly on Wednesday and Thursday, which will leave it testing but not wet enough to threaten the meeting at all.”

Cobden can also look forward to partnering dual King George hero Clan Des Obeaux in the rearranged Deman Chase at Newbury on Sunday, with the Grade 1-winning jockey reporting him to be in good form.

“The race has been delayed a few days but that won’t matter to him at all," he added. "I schooled him a few days ago and he seems to have come out of the King George in great order, I’m very much looking forward to getting back on him on Sunday and it’s great that the meeting has been rescheduled.”

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