This Saturday sees one of the spectacles of the season so far at Ascot as the two highest rated chasers take on each other for the first time in their careers.
A maximum of five horses will take to the post in the 1965 Christy Chase at Ascot on Saturday and the two stars that are set to go post are the most highly talked about animals in the sport with the two set to do battle.
Altior is one the greatest athletes to ever grace the sport being unbeaten in all 19 of his contests over obstacles landing 10 Grade one races in the process.
He is a four time Cheltenham festival winner that this season will see him be stepped up in trip for the first time with the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day the big plan for the season.
The step up in trip is the reason he will bump into the Paul Nicholls trained Cyrname who is rated 1lb higher than Altior at 176 with the seven year old securing that rating after demolishing a decent field including Waiting Patiently by 17 lengths.
The seven year old has not been seen since that run with the ground last season not being what he wanted with the rain falling this season now being able to see these two superstars battle it out.
The two sit at the top of the market with Altior the current 10/11 favourite and Cyrname just in behind him at 11/8. The field is completed by Altior's stablemate Top Notch who is a best-priced 16/1, with Warren Greatrex's Keeper Hill at 33/1 and Dan Skelton's 66/1 shot Solomon Grey completing the possible runners.
(Credit Racing Post) Coral's David Stevens said: "Although Cyrname is officially rated 1lb higher than Altior, and is proven over Saturday's 2m5f trip, we still favour Altior to come out on top on his first try at this distance, such was his dominance and superstar status over two miles and his connections' belief that he now needs to go further."