No reason why Cyrname can't improve on excellent Ascot return

There may have been only seven runners in total for the Christy 1965 Chase and Betfair Chase, but they featured arguably the best four chasers in training in Britain and neither race disappointed.

Figures wise, pride of place goes to Ascot winner Cyrname (179+) who completed an Ascot hat-trick by taking the scalp of Altior (177). The winner had recorded the highest RPR of last season (181) when scoring by a wide margin in Grade 1 company over the course and distance in February and, granted a right-handed track, there is no reason why he cannot go on to better that figure this season.

Given a fine front-running ride by Harry Cobden, he maintained a steady distance between himself and Altior all the way up the straight. There is a suspicion that Altior may be slightly better left-handed, but you'd be hard pushed to argue that it was the step up in distance that proved his undoing and he probably ran every bit as well as when winning the Tingle Creek at Sandown first time up last season. He may have lost his unbeaten record over jumps, but further big race success awaits.