Today’s racing
Racing fans are in for a treat at Ascot today as the eagerly anticipated clash between Altior and Cyrname takes place in the Grade 2 Christy Chase (2m5f).
Altior, who stretched his unbeaten record to 19 wins when landing the Grade 1 bet365 Celebration Chase at Sandown in April, is making the step up to 2m5f as connections build towards a tilt at the King George on Boxing Day.
It will be a tough test for the Patricia Pugh-owned nine-year-old as he goes up against Cyrname, who become Britain’s highest-rated chaser on a mark of 176 when he was a 17-length winner of the Grade 1 Ascot Chase in February.
The field is completed by the Dan Skelton-trained Solomon Grey after Top Notch and Keeper Hill were taken out of the contest on Friday.
Ascot’s card also features the Coral Hurdle (2m3½f) with the Nicky Henderson-trained Call Me Lord the market leader for the Grade 2 event. The six-runner field includes course and distance winner Le Patriote and Lil Rockerfeller, who reverts back to hurdles having finished second in a handicap chase at Chepstow last month.
Haydock also race today where the Grade 1 Betfair Chase is the feature event. The Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Bristol De Mai bids for his third consecutive win in the 3m1½f contest though improving seven-year-old Lostintranslation, trained by Colin Tizzard, will be a tough opponent.
Huntingdon and Fairyhouse (Ireland) stage jumps cards today while Lingfield and Wolverhampton race on the all-weather.
Another addition to the December Mares Sale
The Group 3-winning Waitingfortheday is the latest wildcard to be announced for the Tattersalls December Mares Sale and will be offered on December 3 as Lot 1793D.
Trained by Joseph O’Brien, the daughter of Elzaam took the Group 3 Coolmore Fairy Bridge Stakes in August, taking her tally of career wins to seven.
The John Dollard filly is out of the Lagunas mare Wiolante and a half-sister to Group 3 winner Welria while she is from the family of this year’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe hero Waldgeist.
