Cyrname tops list of 20 for Charlie Hall

Cyrname is one of 20 entries for the bet365 Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby on Saturday.

The Paul Nichollstrained eight-year-old is the highest-rated chaser in Britain, having beaten Altior in a highly anticipated clash on his seasonal reappearance at Ascot last November.

He was subsequently well beaten by stable companion Clan Des Obeaux when a hot favourite for the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day, before suffering a heavy fall at the final fence when last seen defending his crown in the Ascot Chase in February.

Nicholls was initially keen on the idea of sending Cyrname to Down Royal for this weekend’s Ladbrokes Champion Chase, but restrictions caused by the pandemic have prompted a change of plan.

The 176-rated chaser has also been entered for Saturday’s Sodexo Gold Cup at Ascot, but is widely expected to head for We therby, where he could be joined by stable companion Black Corton.

The last two winners of the Charlie Hall in the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Ballyoptic and Brian Ellison’s Definitly Red are in the mix once again, while leading Irish trainer Gordon Elliott has a trio of contenders in Alpha Des Obeaux, Shattered Love and The Storyteller.

Other contenders include Warren Great rex’ s pair of Keeper Hill and La Bague Au Roi, Nicky Henderson’s Might Bite, the Colin Tizzard-trained Slate House and Jedd O’Keeffe’s stable star Sam Spinner.

Kim Bailey could run Vinndication at the West Yorkshire track instead of going for back- to- back victories in the Sodexo Gold Cup at Ascot.