how good was cyrname?

​The according to the Penguin English Dictionary, the definition of peerless is ‘matchless or incomparable’. In racing terms, the word peerless might be defined as ‘how Cyrname won the Charlie Hall Chase’. Yes, there was none of the joie de vivre that defines his stable companion Frodon but at Wetherby there was a grown-upness about Cyrname that until Saturday we had not seen and perhaps never expected to see from him. It was a beautiful thing to witness, a fine racehorse coming to his prime, in total control of his environment. And yet another example of the horse knowledge and training expertise of his trainer and of a young jockey who is fast becoming a potential champion jockey, and, perhaps, in the sights of J.P.McManus.
Having said all that, Cyrname beat nothing at Wetherby that can be termed solid Cheltenham Gold Cup horses. Vinndication is a good yardstick, though a horse more likely to win one of the major handicaps than one of steeplechasing’s gold riband races. I could be mistaken, though, as lesser horses have won the Gold Cup. In fact. his profile reminds me a bit of Master Oats in that he never looked a potential Gold Cup winner until the rain fell in a deluge at Cheltenham to give him an advantage he did not look at any point conceding. 
I concede that a more tractable, more laid-back Cyrname gives him greater opportunity to win one of the major chases and I’m surprised Paul Nicholls did not mention the Betfair as a possible target, though he must be aiming Clan Des Obeaux at Haydock, though not Frodon, I hope. I wouldn’t be surprised, if, as we all pray will be the case, government restrictions both sides of the Irish Sea, are eased, that Cyrname might skip the King George in favour of Leopardstown, a race Nicholls won with Denman, if you remember, allowing Clan Des Obeaux at easier passage at Kempton.
I suspect, at the risk of annoying his trainer, that Cyrname may prove to be unbeatable around the flat courses, Kempton, Haydock, Ascot etc but not as adaptable and imperious around Cheltenham. I remain critical of his official rating; it is clearly inflated and races won on attritional going should either not be used to upgrade a horse or at least should have an asterisk placed against the figure. No one in their right mind would claim Altior to be inferior to any horse currently in training; Altior is the top National Hunt horse, as he has been for the past three-seasons and though he will not likely lock horns with Cyrname again it is hard to visualise on good ground Cyrname ever confirming the form over any distance below 2m 4-furlongs.
Although I would not be surprised if Paul Nicholls proves me way off the mark (not for the first time) I cannot see Cyrname winning a Cheltenham Gold Cup. In fact, if this season’s race was run identical to last year, which is unlikely as for a Gold Cup they almost dawdled for the most part, I remain convinced that Frodon is a perfectly plausible contender. He is constantly under-rated (trainer’s fault for running him over the wrong distance for a season and a half!), he loves Cheltenham and last year I believe his jumping would have sorted out much of the opposition, as it will do again come March 2021 (how many of wish it were March 2021 already? Get this nightmare of a year over with).
As for Down Royal’s Champion Chase: do not right off Delta Work, though I have the nagging feeling he’ll be a horse always fancied for the Gold Cup, will always run well, but when push comes to shove, he’ll always be found wanting. Presenting Percy is another who should be given another chance. To my eyes he’s more of a Grand National horse than a Gold Cup winner, after all he’s had two opportunities already and fluffed his lines for one reason or another and if he were mine, I would aim him at the Irish National this season and Aintree next. He is most definitely a better horse than his recent form figures suggest.
In fact, if Gordon Elliott had a potential Gold Cup winner running at Down Royal, I rather suspect it might be BattleoverDoyen. He put in a mature performance in beating Easygame and the equally not-to-be-forgotten Samcro, who I remain convinced will be better suited to a soft-ground 3-miles. If I was backing anything ante-post and on each-way terms, it would be Battleover Doyen.
Despite all the brilliant horses trained in Ireland at present, including a 2-time Gold Cup winner, I have my hopes that we might keep the blue riband races this side of the Irish Sea for a change. On decent ground I fancy Frodon for the Gold Cup and on softer ground Santini. Altior will obviously regain his 2-mile crown and Goshen will run away with the Champion Hurdle. I hope come the finish of the Elite Hurdle on Saturday I am not forced to eat my words but I really rate Goshen and if God has any mercy he’ll bestow it on the Moore family come March. If you think how impressive Aspire Tower was at Down Royal and then remember how far he was going to finish behind Goshen in the Triumph Hurdle, it is not much of a stretch of the imagination to believe Goshen to be a champion in waiting.