“I didn’t watch a lot of it,” Amy Murphy admitted after her stable star Kalashnikov maintained his unbeaten record over fences here on Monday. “But it sounded very good.” It looked very good, too, as Kalashnikov ran away with the novice chase without leaving second gear and last year’s Betfair Hurdle winner is now the 5-1 joint-favourite with Lalor for the Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham in March.
The downhill fences on the far side of this track can make it a difficult test for a novice. Kalashnikov, though, jumped fluently throughout and was still full of running as he powered down to the last with a long lead. The 1-7 favourite went on to finish 18 lengths clear of the runner-up without giving the punters who backed him down from 1-4 any cause for concern.
This win means that Kalashnikov will qualify for a long-standing £60,000 bonus put up by the track if he can also win at the Cheltenham Festival. It has not been won since Voy Por Ustedes’ success in the Arkle in 2006 but Kalashnikov is surely the strongest contender since to complete the double.
Lingfield Park 11.50 Sharp Operator, 12.20 Confrerie, 12.50 Wotadoll, 1.20 Madrinho (nap), 1.50 Glassy Waters, 2.20 Teruntum Star, 2.50 Society Star, 3.20 Kath’s Lustre
Southwell 12.30 Dawnieriver, 1.00 Another Crick, 1.30 Commodore Barry, 2.00 Sainte Ladylime, 2.30 Rouge Vif, 3.00 Oologist, 3.30 Ben Buie
Fakenham 12.40 Bisoubisou, 1.10 The Geegeez Geegee, 1.40 Bang Bang Rosie, 2.10 Song For Someone, 2.40 Wisecracker, 3.10 General Bux (nb)
“He learned a lot at Warwick [on his chasing debut] and he was pretty foot perfect out there today,” Murphy, who trains Kalashnikov for her father, Paul, said. “He’s had the height of Warwick and then it’s trappy round here with the downhill fences, so that will stand him in good stead as well. It’s exciting for the future for a team of our size.
“We’re only in our second season, so he’s putting us on the map. All being well, he’ll go to Kempton for the Wayward Lad [on 27 December] and then either Doncaster or Warwick in the new year. I think the Arkle market is hotting up all the time and it will be a great race come March, please God that they all get there.”
