Leading jumps jockey Harry Cobden feels he has made the right decision this year with Cyrname in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day, having finished second on the horse last year and watching stablemate Clan Des Obeaux land the race for the second consecutive season.
The eight year old started last season perfectly by ending the mighty Altior's 19 race unbeaten run in the Grade Two 1965 Christy Chase which saw the Paul Nicholls' star raised to a new rating of 178 after his performance in a first-time Grade One field, which has only been bettered by seven horses since the turn of the century.
After that he was a disappointing second in the King George when not staying the trip and having fell when the strong favourite to land back to back renewals of the Ascot Chase, Nicholls is lucky to see him back for another season
The Son of Nickname although falling would not have won the contest having dropped back through the small field near the finish and overall did not show the true Cyrname at his home track.
After the heavy fall, many punters were wondering how he would return this term, but on his seasonal bow he put all those questions to bed when winning the Grade Two Charlie Hall Chase in fine style.
Different class!
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) October 31, 2020
Cyrname - what a performance in the @bet365 Charlie Hall Chase 👏 @WetherbyRaces @PFNicholls @CobdenHarry pic.twitter.com/WVBDupse1i
His jockey believes that he is a much more mature horse this year and is hoping that he will not make the same mistake twice by picking the wrong horse from the stable.
(Credit ATR) Cobden said: “They are obviously two very good horses, but I think Cyrname is a different horse going into the race this year – I hope he is anyway.
“He wasn’t going from quite a long way out last year, I don’t think he was ever going actually. I made the wrong decision and it cost me a stack of money!
“Going into this year I think Cyrname is in good form, he came out of Wetherby really well.
“I’ll probably ride him a little different this year, I won’t be blitzing off in front trying to serve it up to them, I’ll try to conserve as much energy as I can. I might not even sit in front, I’ll probably try to take a lead and see where we are turning in.”
He went on: “He wasn’t keen at Wetherby and travelled really well. I know we didn’t beat any world-beaters, there was no serious Grade One horse in there, there was no Clan Des Obeaux, but the way he went round there was good and he stayed on up the straight really well.
“I genuinely feel he’ll come on for it as he didn’t go away for a gallop, last year he had one before he beat Altior but this year he hadn’t been properly tuned up and hopefully that has put him right for the King George.”