Altior vs. Cyrname – let’s get ready to rumble!

Jump fans should be in for a treat when Nicky Henderson and Paul Nicholls unleash their stable stars in the Grade 2 Christy 1965 Chase. In the red corner the nine year old reigning “champ“ Altior (by High Chaparral), two time winner of the Queen Mother Champion Chase and with a perfect record of nineteen wins over hurdles and fences. In the blue corner the seven year old Cyrname (by Nickname) officially the highest UK rated horse over fences with a mark of 176 following his impressive demolition of a quality field in February in the Grade 1 Betfair Ascot chase. Given Altior’s stunning unbeaten record it has been a hot topic of debate that he should be rated inferior to his rival so Saturday’s race may go some way to deciding if the handicapper has it right. 

In Cyrname’s favour is the undoubted advantage the race is run at Ascot as he has to go right handed and has recorded his two best performances over this course and distance. Almost all of Altior’s wins have been at two miles and he steps up an extra half mile on Saturday for the first time having looked like he needed the longer trip in his races last year. However his trainer Nicky Henderson while recognizing it is the right time to try further still has slight reservations and on Monday said, "If you'd seen Altior last Friday you'd say it can't be the right thing to be stepping him up in trip. If he's a stayer he's the most remarkable horse I've seen. I agree everyone is right that if he's to be a true champion he has to win over a variety of trips. But I still say the way he works he doesn't look like he's going to stay. He has such speed, so I hope his jumping helps him relax because when he goes into attack mode that'll be it."

Can the “champ” find the stamina reserves to knock out the young pretender and take his unbeaten run to twenty? A fascinating clash awaits.