NAME GAME Gold Cup dream still on for Cyr
NICHOLLS BELIEVES IN CHELTENHAM HOPE
PAUL NICHOLLS is keeping the faith Cyrname can add his moniker to the Cheltenham Gold Cup roll of honour on March 19. Britain’s highest- rated chaser, cut to 10- 1 for National Hunt Festival feature after an impressive victory in Wetherby’s Charlie Hall Chase in October, can be backed at 25- 1 after a no- show when pulled up behind stablemate Frodon in the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day. But Nicholls, a fourtime Gold Cup winner with See More Business ( 1999), Kauto Star ( 2007 & 2009) and Denman ( 2008), believes the nine- year- old still has a role to play.
Cyrname was among 41 entries for the Magnerssponsored test published yesterday, and his trainer said: “On his day he has that element of brilliance about him.
“I’ve put him in the Ryanair Chase and the Gold Cup, and he’s fine after Kempton. He’s just got to get back on track.”
Nicholls plans to give Cyrname, whose Wetherby success proved his stamina at three miles and his ability to show his best form racing left- handed, the chance to stake a Gold Cup claim in the Denman Chase at Newbury on February 13 or the Ascot Chase a week later.
“They are the obvious options, and he will go to one, and Clan Des Obeaux – who hasn’t got a Gold Cup entry – will go to the other,” added Nicholls.
“They’ve just had their flu jabs, they are having a quiet week and we will see how they come together nearer the time.”
Nicky Henderson yesterday called time on the career of Might Bite, the enigmatic chaser who finished second to Native River in the 2018 Gold Cup.
“It was entertaining from beginning to end,” said Henderson. “He was one of the most amazing characters.”