Altior conqueror Cyrname out to cement his status as Britain's best chaser

Step up to the oche, Cyrname. Game on and best of order for the most talented chaser around – arguably – and his champion trainer.

It is not only in darts that 180 is a magical figure. A Racing Post Rating of that level is what separates the tip-top jumpers from the merely high class, what makes the outstanding ones stand out.

Our jumps handicapper Steve Mason handed out a figure worth more than three treble-twenties only once in the whole of 2019-20: when Cyrname blitzed the opposition in the Betfair Ascot Chase, on a day when Paul Nicholls did something similar to his training rivals with a remarkable eight winners across the afternoon.

What else could Mason do? The one-time tearaway had taken on three Grade 1 winners and beaten them hollow, coming home fully 17 lengths clear.

Now, the issue of Tiger Roll’s Grand National weight shows there are few things more contentious than the rating of a good horse and plenty were prepared to question the one-off mark of a horse who did not run again last season.

Some remained unconvinced by Cyrname's defeat of a non-staying/non-fit Altior over the same 2m5f trip here in November, for which he ran to an RPR of 'only' 179 – and his own stamina limit seemed to be reached when he was a remote second in the 3m King George on Boxing Day.

Which sets the stage perfectly for his bid to defend the Ascot Chase, “bang where we want him to be” according to Nicholls.

Cyrname pulls clear to win the Betfair Ascot Chase in fine styleCredit: Mark Cranham

Which is enough to have scared off all bar three of the other eight original entries for this Grade 1 contest. Who can blame them? If you had a decent 2m4f chaser, would you want to take on the very best at level weights on a track that clearly suits him so perfectly?

Cyrname is likely to be the shortest priced among 14 declared runners on the day for Nicholls – if the trainer does not match last year's eight winners, it will not be for lack of trying.

Yala Enki leads the way for the champion trainer in the richest race of the afternoon, bidding to improve on last year's fifth place in the Unibet Grand National Trial at Haydock when he was with Venetia Williams.

His third in the Welsh Grand National and a clear-cut victory at Taunton show he has scarcely gone backwards for a change of yards.

Nicholls' Exeter winner Sir Psycho could take advantage of the absence of Triumph Hurdle favourite Goshen from the Unibet Victor Ludorum Juvenile Hurdle.

The 2019 scorer Victor Ludorum scorer Quel Destin now bids for the Betway Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton, where Worthy Farm, another of last year's magnificent eight, attempts to complete a course-and-distance hat-trick in the 3m1f handicap chase.

Nicholls' 14th and final runner, weather permitting, may have the stiffest task of all.

Ostuni is among no fewer than 20 declarations for Wincanton's 2m5½f handicap hurdle, whose contenders have mustered one win from 76 starts between them this season before a getting-out stakes that looks sure to have the bookmakers leaving with smiles on their faces.

Roll with it - time to find one who could beat Tiger

The talking stops this weekend. After all the words spoken about the weights given to Tiger Roll and the other 102 Randox Grand National entries, it is time for action.

The dual winner runs for the first time since last April's mightily impressive second victory when he tackles the Boyne Hurdle at Navan on Sunday.

Before then a rival may have emerged from Haydock if the Unibet Grand National Trial lives up to its name.

That is not a given: no Aintree winner has warmed up in this 3m4f test since 2012 and only Teaforthree and Monbeg Dude have gone on to reach a place.

Yet this year's field looks ripe with potential as each of the top seven is in the National, safely in the handicap with weights ranging from 10st 1lb to 11st 2lb.

One For Arthur has already proved he has what it takes for Aintree, triumphing for Lucinda Russell in 2017 – the last year before the Tiger Roll era.

He is on the same handicap mark now, has had a soft palate operation since his fifth place in the Becher Chase in December and is fitted with cheekpieces by Lucinda Russell, who has made no secret of her belief that he has a great chance of landing a second Grand National.

Elegant Escape has also had a wind operation since finishing sixth when bidding for a repeat victory in the Welsh Grand National at Chepstow, while Lord Du Mesnil is on a four-timer after landing The Last Fling Handicap Chase over course and distance last month.

Ireland has swept seven of the eight places in the last two Grand Nationals and no ante-post punter should ignore the Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park, in which subsequent Cheltenham Gold Cup second and Aintree fifth Anibale Fly was runner-up last year.

That said, Troytown Handicap Chase winner Chris's Dream and Real Steel, who scored in Grade 2 company at Thurles last month, each has more than one big-race entry and it may be simplest to enjoy the clash of two progressively smart chasers rather than pigeonhole it as a trial.

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