Ed Chamberlin reflects on a superb Saturday of action as Cyrname beat Altior at Ascot while Lostintranslation sparked emotional scenes after winning the Betfair Chase at Haydock.
Often we build up to a big clash and it fails to live up to expectations.
On Saturday, Cyrname v Altior delivered in spades in the Christy 1965 Chase at Ascot. It was compelling from the off and we were treated to a real horse race between two wonderful animals.
A mighty gamble on Altior was foiled – he was sent off the 1/3 favourite – by an awesome front-running display from Cyrname, the lord of the manor at the Berkshire circuit.
When they turned into the straight we were all set. It was a case of may the best horse win. And the best horse won, make no mistake about that.
I don’t think it was stamina that beat Altior. I’m sure he’ll come on for the run, but so could Cyrname. Altior was simply beaten by a very good horse, the better horse on the day.
Of course, once again, you have to take your hat off to Paul Nicholls.
He is a born winner and several punters doubted this horse’s first-time-out record, but Nicholls clearly targeted this race some months ago knowing what could be at stake.
The first horse to beat Altior over jumps. Nicholls’ Cyrname. He’ll love that. The pair of them have made a statement, big style, and you can absolutely see why he’s the 9/4 favourite with Sky Bet for the King George now.
It’s shaping up to be an epic Christmas treat at Kempton.
Incredibly emotional scenes with the Taylor family after Lostintranslation won the Betfair Chase. pic.twitter.com/0ie0YAq3VS
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) November 23, 2019
We were at Haydock on Saturday for ITV and saw a King George candidate ourselves thanks to the brilliant Lostintranslation, 3/1 with Sky Bet for the Kempton highlight, after beating Bristol De Mai in his own backyard with a sensational performance.
This was a stunning ride from Robbie Power and it sparked emotional scenes in the winners’ enclosure afterwards.
I absolutely love bringing human stories to the fore on ITV and the Taylor family, who own Lostintranslation along with Richard Dwyer, have been through such a tragedy after losing their young son, Charlie, three years ago.
Ross Doyle and the late Willie Codd were instructed to get a horse to cheer the family up when this little boy died. The ultimate dream was to get a Gold Cup horse and now that dream is becoming a reality.
Charlie’s favourite film was the Minions, hence the yellow colours, and there were tears galore in the Haydock winners’ enclosure.
This sport and these horses can be so special at times.
Earlier on, Stoney Mountain won for Henry Daly and our thoughts immediately turned to Helen Brisland, who used to look after him, who was paralysed after a fall which resulted in her rupturing her spinal cord.
She’ll have loved seeing this big stamp of a horse rattle home for victory in the big handicap hurdle at Haydock, and he looks like a future chaser in the mould of those Daly’s predecessor Captain Tim Forster used to train.
Perhaps he’ll be the one saying ‘just keep remounting’ in the future, something the pessimistic Captain Forster said to jockey Hywel Davis before Last Suspect landed the 1985 Grand National!
