Weekend Racing Review including Cyrname and Lostintranslation

Rising stars Cyrname and Lostintranslation shot to further prominence as each ended lofty opponents' famous winning runs.

Cyrname lowered the colours of the mighty Altior, for the first time over fences to end a sequence of 19 successive jumps victories for Nicky Henderson's brilliant two-mile champion, in the Grade Two Christy 1965 Chase at Ascot.

Then less than an hour later on Saturday, at Haydock, it was Lostintranslation's turn to halt Bristol De Mai's bid for a hat-trick of successes in the Grade One Betfair Chase.

Cyrname's two-and-a-quarter-length victory over the marginally lower-rated 1-3 favourite kept him on course for a crack at the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

Paul Nicholls' vastly-improved chaser may well find himself embroiled in a high-profile round two with Altior there - after Henderson declined to cite stamina as an issue for his superstar's defeat.

Both are likely to have to contend too with Lostintranslation, who confirmed himself the pick of last season's novices by pouncing impressively on Bristol De Mai - previously unbeaten in four trips to Haydock.

Reflecting in a Sky Sports Racing interview on Cyrname's third successive victory, Nicholls said: "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.

"When they came by the stands first time, I thought they were going some gallop and he had the champion chaser on his tail.

"It was always going to be about stamina, and three miles won't be a problem to him."

Henderson, meanwhile, had no regrets, adding: "This was the obvious race to run in.

"He has still got the time to get to Kempton if that is the route we take, and I don't see why we shouldn't, personally - we will be having a good look at it.

"Different ground on a different day, you might get a different result."

Ascot also witnessed uncanny yet thankfully less dramatic echoes of events earlier this month as Nicholls' Capeland sealed a convincing win from Diego Du Charmil in the Gerard Bertrand Hurst Park Handicap Chase.

It was just reward for Capeland, who three weeks ago was baulked and forced through the wing of the last fence when his stablemate was distracted by loose horse Ballywood in a Listed handicap.

Diego Du Charmil kept that race, with Capeland disqualified. But on their return, the latter won by 12 lengths - and the symmetry extended to Ballywood, who this time finished third.

Nicholls said: "Capeland deserved that really. Kathy (Stuart, owner) deserved that. She is a lovely lady and she was upset (last time) not for anyone else but the horse."

Lostintranslation ensured smiles all round too as he achieved what no one previously had, by beating Bristol De Mai at Haydock.

His trainer Colin Tizzard said of the seven-year-old: "The plan at the start of the season was to have a prep race, then come for this and to have a go at the £1million bonus, so he'll go for the King George next.

"He's immaculate at his fences, he stays well and has got the pace for two miles. He's got everything in front of him."

There were Graded wins too at Ascot and Haydock, for If The Cap Fits and Stoney Mountain respectively, in the Coral Hurdle and Betfair Best Odds On ITV Races Stayers' Handicap Hurdle.

In Ireland, Laurina's eight-length victory in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase at Gowran came at the chief expense of runner-up Minella Indo, a Cheltenham and Punchestown festival winner last season, and pointed to an exciting campaign ahead for Willie Mullins' mare.

Navan took centre stage on Sunday, and the feature Ladbrokes Troytown Handicap Chase proved another winning stage for jockey Robbie Power - in such outstanding form of late and so effective on Lostintranslation 24 hours earlier.

He was equally polished on Henry de Bromhead's Chris's Dream, who justified market support which forced him into 9-2 favourite by powering to a nine-and-a-half-length win from Fitzhenry.

Power told Racing TV: "It's been a fantastic week, and that just caps it off. The Troytown is a local race - this is my local course, and I've not not had much luck before now."

Some of those who were up early on Sunday had already seen a famous win for champion Flat jockey Oisin Murphy, in Tokyo's Japan Cup aboard Suave Richard.

He said: "I suppose it's a dream come true to have won this race.

"The Japan Cup is one of the most famous races around the world, and it's very hard to win, so I wasn't confident but very hopeful."