CYRNAME CAN STAMP CLASS ON THE KING GEORGE

Going: Soft

GLOBAL HARMONY SLAINTE MHOR IMPERIAL ICON MERCIAN PRINCE SPIRITOFTHEGAMES

KILBROOK TROOPER TURNBULL

......................... ......................................................................... Bridget Andrews

(14) B Ellison 8 11-11 (D) ............... S Quinlan

(24) Tristan Davidson 10 11-9 (C2) ...... T Dowson

(28) A King 7 11-6 ............................................ T Bellamy

(36) K Bailey 9 11-5 (D3) .......................... D Bass

(21)PHobbs811-5 .................... TJO’Brien

(21) Dr R Newland 9 11-2 (C2) .............. C Hammond (3)

(42) N Richards 10 11-2 (C2) .......................... R Day

(35) C Longsdon 8 10-13 ................ R Mania BETTING: 4 Canelo, 5 Springtown Lake, 6 Snow Leopardess, The Dutchman, 13-2 Spiritofthegames, 8 Wandrin Star, Windsor Avenue, Beau Bay, 12 Guitar Pete.

8-1 Held up towards rear of mid-division on inside, headway 12th, kept on run-in, went 2nd near finish, no chance with winner, 2nd of 16, 4 1/2l behind Cap Du Nord at Newbury 2m 6f hcp chs 0-145 (2) gd in Nov. 11-2 Towards rear, mistake 2nd, bad blunder 9th, headway chasing leaders after 3 out, weakened next, 5th of 18, 17l behind Beau Bay at Aintree 2m 5f hcp chs (2) sft. 9-2fav Held up in touch, not fluent 4th, blundered 14th, headway under pressure 4 out, moved into 2nd before 2 out, stayed on strongly from last, got up final strides, won at Haydock 3m 2f hcp chs 0-145 (2) sft in Nov beating Commodore by

1/2l, 12 ran. 8-1 Always prominent, led after 10th, blundered 12th, reached for 4 out, 3 lengths ahead last, idled/tired badly run-in, headed near finish, 2nd of 7, hd behind Late Romantic at Haydock 3m 2f hcap ch (2) hvy. 14-1 Held up in rear, mistake 5th, headway before 3 out, left 2nd 2 out, every chance last, edged right flat, held inside final 100 yards, 2nd of 16, 3 1/2l behind Coole Cody at Cheltenham 2m 4f Grade 3 hcp chs (4yo+) (1) sft in Nov. 20-1 Chased leaders, outpaced at times, got through on inside at elbow to lead, came clear run-in, stayed on strongly, won at Aintree 2m 5f hcp chs (2) sft beating Sir Jack Yeats by 5l, 18 ran. 18-1 Prominent, nudged along to hold position 3 out, headway to join leaders after last, ran on well, just denied, 2nd of 11, hd behind Quarenta at Ascot 3m hcp chs 0-140 (3) sft in Nov.

12-1 Held up in mid-division, struggling when not fluent 11th, behind and mistake next, pulled up before 4 out, in a race won by Chatham Street Lad at Cheltenham 2m 5f hcp chs Grd 3 (1) sft, 17 ran. 15-2 Soon held up towards rear, headway chasing leaders before 9th, pushed along after 12th, soon ridden, stayed on same pace in 4th from 3 out, 4th of 9, 6l behind Johnbb at Wetherby 2m 3f hcp chs 0-140 (3) sft in Nov.

CYRNAME can deny stable companion Clan Des Obeaux a hat-trick in a fascinating renewal of the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton.

Paul Nicholls has dominated the Boxing Day showpiece over the last couple of decades, with four individual horses providing him with 11 King George victories.

This year the Ditcheat handler fires a four-pronged assault, with last year’s one-two, Clan Des Obeaux and Cyrname, joined by Frodon and Real Steel, although by the trainer’s admission the latter pair look to be running for place money at best.

Clan Des Obeaux’s Kempton form is certainly a level above anything he has achieved elsewhere and Cyrname was firmly put in his place when 21 lengths behind 12 months ago.

That is clearly a significant gap to bridge, but there is little doubt Cyrname was still feeling the effects of a gruelling Ascot tussle with Altior a month earlier, whereas this year he has had an extra three weeks to recover from a facile comeback win in the Charlie Hall.

Indeed, it is almost a role reversal this time around, as Clan Des Obeaux was the one who ended up in a real scrap in testing conditions on his November reappearance when chasing home Haydock specialist Bristol De Mai in the Betfair Chase.

Cyrname put any questions about whether he stays three miles to bed at Wetherby in October, while it was also noticeable how much more tractable he appears to be, meaning it is unlikely to be a major issue if he is taken on for the lead.

The Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle appears a far more straightforward puzzle to solve, with defending champion Epatante impossible to oppose.

Nicky Henderson’s six-year-old propelled herself towards the top of the two-mile hurdling division when winning this Grade One contest last year before shooting clear in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham.

The JP McManus-owned mare looked better than ever when laughing at a race-fit Sceau Royal on her return to action in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle and it would be a major surprise if she does not extend her winning streak.

Shan Blue is fancied to make it three from three over fences in the Ladbrokes Kauto Star Novices’ Chase.

A useful novice hurdler for Dan Skelton last term, the six-year-old has already taken his game to another level since having his attentions switched to the larger obstacles, with slick and accurate jumping the hallmark of back-to-back wins at Wetherby.

Shan Blue faces a step up in class for his latest assignment, but has proven he stays three miles, which cannot be said of some of his chief rivals.