Nicholls eyeing April return for Cyrname after 'last-chance saloon' operation

Cyrname, who beat Altior in an unforgettable duel at Ascot in 2019, is on track to return this spring after being pulled up with a recurring wind problem in the Charlie Hall Chase in October.

Retirement was mooted when the ten-year-old failed to complete for the third successive time, but he is pleasing Paul Nicholls following a third wind operation described as a "last-chance saloon".

The trainer said: "He had a tie-forward operation after his last run. He’s back in full work but we haven’t really made a plan, I think he’ll run at the end of April sometime.

"A tie-forward is a last-chance saloon in a lot of ways and it seems to have worked nicely. His problem is he gets air under his palate and it chokes him and stops him dead. He wouldn’t be having any more wind operations.

"He did his first strong piece of work last week and he schooled on Monday. We’re giving him a nice slow prep, he's showing all his enthusiasm and he’s in good shape."

Action replay: watch Cyrname beat Altior

Cyrname was once the highest-rated horse in training after his 17-length victory in the 2019 Ascot Chase but Nicholls is under no illusions about the task at hand, although is hopeful his team are now on top of a problem that has plagued a horse whose defining moment was victory over Altior in the 1965 Chase.

Nicholls added: "He’ll probably never get back to his pinnacle when he beat Altior but he’s got enough ability to be competitive, as he showed when coming back to win the 2020 Charlie Hall, so if we can sort that breathing out then we’ve got a chance.

Paul Nicholls celebrates after Cyrname's victory in the Christy 1965 ChaseCredit: Edward Whitaker

"When he came to us his first few runs were dire. He used to be too keen and I think he used to panic because of his breathing. He’s struggled with it since he arrived as a four-year-old and it’s been a challenge all the way through.

"He’s showing the right signs at the moment and we certainly wouldn’t ask him to do the impossible, if we had any doubt at all we wouldn’t go on."

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