Amy Murphy's stable star Kalashnikov gave a very underwhelming performance on New Year's Day but game back to his yard under the weather which explained the reason for his poor run.
The female trainer explained that her Grade One winning chaser had returned home sick after he finished way back in the field which saw Oldgrangewood for Dan Skelton take the contest which finished in a three way photo finish.
Kalashnikov had been beaten by the Skelton horse by a nose on their previous meeting at Newbury and finishing that far behind him at Cheltenham immediately alerted Amy Murphy that something was not quite right.
However, after finding the problem and giving the gelding treatment the Newmarket handler now reports her horse to back in tip top shape and will head back to Cheltenham in March for the Grade One Ryanair Chase.
(Credit At The Races) “He was sick after Cheltenham. He bled and then he started coughing a few days after. I’d say he was harbouring something. I’d say that’s the reason he bled,” said Murphy.
“We can put a line through that run. He’d never been out of the first two in his life (when he has completed the course).
“He’s had some antibiotics and he’s absolutely fine.
“He doesn’t have to run between now and the Ryanair unless I’m 100 per cent happy with him, but equally there are races like the Game Spirit.
“He’ll get entries, but we’ll see. He doesn’t have to go anywhere before Cheltenham.”