No rush to make plans Kalashnikov return
‘So far, so good’ with Amy Murphy’s stable star.
Amy Murphy is taking her time as she plans a comeback for her stable star Kalashnikov. The seven-year-old gave Murphy’s Newmarket yard a first Grade One success when taking the Devenish Manifesto Novices’ Chase at Aintree in 2019. He looked to have retained his form the following autumn when runner-up in two successive handicap chases, including the Grade Two Old Roan Chase, also at Aintree. The gelding subsequently lost his way, however, running with an uncharacteristic lack of zest to trail home in both the Paddy Power Handicap Chase at Cheltenham and the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury. He was later to found to have burst blood vessels on both occasions and has not been seen on a racecourse since, but Murphy reports her stable star is well and gaining fitness ahead of his return. “He’s fine, he’s only just started to gallop so we’ve nothing much to report as of yet,” she said, “Touch wood it’s been so far, so good.” Murphy currently has no firm plans for the seven-time winner, who is still in the earlier stages of preparation. “We haven’t put him under any pressure yet, so we can’t really know where we’re at,” she said. “But so far he’s been fine. “He burst (a blood vessel) badly twice, but there was nothing underlying. For the meantime we’ll just continue to bring him along slowly and see how we go.”Follow us on Twitter racing365dotcom and like our Facebook page.
Latest
-
O’Brien so close to joining elite list as Porta Fortuna just denied
The 25-year-old won British Classics as a jockey and came within a whisker of first as a trainer.
-
Stay Alert powers home to claim Dahlia prize
Running Lion made early bid for home but had nothing left in the finish.
-
Marine Nationale may return on the Flat before jumping comeback
The seven-year-old was an absentee at the Cheltenham Festival.
-
Mystik Dan clings on for victory in Kentucky Derby thriller
Coolmore-owned Sierra Leone was just denied in second, with Forever Young third.