CYRNAME showed his love for Ascot by making it three wins in succession at the course on Saturday, writes Dave Wright.

And this latest success was extra special as it came at the expense of Altior, who was unbeaten in his previous 19 races.

The much-hyped early-season clash of these two heavyweights in the Christy 1965 Chase saw the Paul Nicholls-trained Cyrname lead throughout the 2m 5f contest.

Under a positive ride by Harry Cobden, the 5/2 chance won by two-and-a-quarter lengths from heavily-backed 1/3 favourite Altior in the hands of Nico de Boinville with the only other runner, Solomon Grey (50/1), a distant third.

Nicholls told Sky Sports Racing: "I'm very proud of him and the whole team, who have played a big part in getting him right and getting him mentally right. He was very nearly unmanageable at home and on the course, then all of a sudden the penny dropped. He started to believe in us and mature. Now we've got a horse who is the finished article."

Commenting on Altior's defeat, trainer Nicky Henderson said: "He has run a very good race, he has done exactly what we all expected to happen and he had a go at him. To be fair, he has got very tired.

"Nico hasn't seen him that tired before – he has put a lot into it."

Nicholls and Cobden were back in the winner's enclosure later at Ascot after 7/2 favourite Capeland had landed the Gerard Bertrand Hurst Park Handicap Chase by 12 lengths from stable-mate Diego Du Charmil, ridden by Lorcan Williams.

Henderson sent out the winner of Ascot's first two races for the second day running, with 10/11 favourite Valtor, who had finished down the field in this year's Grand National, winning the Molton Brown Novices Hurdle, followed by 11/4 favourite Pym in the Horse Racing Ireland Chase, the mounts of James Bowen and de Boinville respectively.

The Upper Lambourn trainer just failed to make it three wins on the day, with Call Me Lord going down by half-a-length to If The Cap Fits in the Coral Hurdle.

The 3/1 shot, trained by Harry Fry and ridden by Sean Bowen, was winning the Grade Two contest for the second year running.

Coillte Eile (10/1), trained by Dr Richard Newland, won the Trisoft Mares' Handicap Hurdle, making it two wins out of two at Ascot for young jockey Cillin Leonard.

It was also a first winner with their first runner for new owners Pete and Amanda Gardiner.

The final race of the day, the Rewarding Ownership With The ROA Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race, was won by Soaring Glory (8/1), ridden by Jonjo O'Neill jnr and trained by his father.

Ascot's next meeting is on December 20-21.