Harry Cobden feels Cyrname has had a much better preparation for this year’s Ladbrokes King George VI Chase than 12 months ago.

This time last year Cyrname was fresh off the back of ending Altior’s long unbeaten run at Ascot, but it is widely accepted that in doing so he endured a very hard race and was not quite the same in two subsequent runs.

This year Cyrname endured a gentler introduction in the Charlie Hall at Wetherby, and Cobden is sticking with him at Christmas rather than ride his Paul Nicholls-trained stablemate Clan Des Obeaux, who will be going for a hat-trick of wins in the Boxing Day spectacular.

“They are obviously two very good horses, but I think Cyrname is a different horse going into the race this year – I hope he is anyway,” Cobden told Sky Sports Racing

“He wasn’t going from quite a long way out last year, I don’t think he was ever going actually. I made the wrong decision and it cost me a stack of money!

“Going into this year I think Cyrname is in good form, he came out of Wetherby really well.

“I’ll probably ride him a little different this year, I won’t be blitzing off in front trying to serve it up to them, I’ll try to conserve as much energy as I can. I might not even sit in front, I’ll probably try to take a lead and see where we are turning in.”

He went on: “He wasn’t keen at Wetherby and travelled really well. I know we didn’t beat any world-beaters, there was no serious Grade One horse in there, there was no Clan Des Obeaux, but the way he went round there was good and he stayed on up the straight really well.

“I genuinely feel he’ll come on for it as he didn’t go away for a gallop, last year he had one before he beat Altior but this year he hadn’t been properly tuned up and hopefully that has put him right for the King George.”