Ruth Jefferson pragmatic as Harry Cobden strikes four

Cyrname and Harry Cobden were wide-margin winners of the Ascot Chase.

She has endured an interrupted season with Waiting Patiently while the front-running winner triumphed at the Berkshire track last month.

Though Waiting Patiently and Brian Hughes challenged Cyrname at the penultimate fence, the leader just pulled away.

“He has been beaten by a better horse on the day,” said the Malton trainer.

Clan Des Obeaux and Harry Cobden (right) completed their Gold Cup preparations by winning the Denman Chase in the colours of Sir Alex Ferguson.

“My instant reaction is he is probably a better horse on soft ground. That’s the quickest conditions he has run on since Kempton.

“He came to win his race, but he just got beat by a better horse on the day. We will just see where it rains next.”

Cyrname may miss Cheltenham next month – he needs right-handed tracks to be seen at his best – and head to the Punchestown Festival instead.

His victory was one of four winners on the Ascot card for jockey Harry Cobden who also partnered leading Gold Cup contender Clan Des Obeaux to a comfortable win in the Denman Chase.

Cobden is stable jockey to Paul Nicholls who won five of the nine races staged at Ascot, and eight across the country in total.