Amy’s taking aim with Kalashnikov

Top of the wish list for any aspiring trainer is serious equine ammunition, and Amy Murphy is hoping she has found it in Kalashnikov.

newmarket-based Murphy, 25, has been training less than a year and a half but she has ambitious targets for the son of Kalanisi, who carries the colours of her Staffordshire-based owner-breeder father, paul.

Kalashnikov got his name because Murphy felt he could be a potent weapon to propel her career. ‘The name had been reserved for five years by my father who said, “When you get a good one, let me know”.’

After three eye- catching wins, the five-year-old gelding lost his unbeaten record when second to Summerville Boy in the grade one Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown earlier this month, but Murphy’s confidence is not dented.

‘He ran a huge race. Kalashnikov was all heart up the home straight — that was the only thing that got him home. He looked like he was running round with lead weights tied to his feet.’

The horse has entries in a novice hurdle at Huntingdon on February 8 and for the Betfair Hurdle at newbury on February 10. After that, a run at the Cheltenham Festival is on the cards.

‘He doesn’t need to run again but he may be too fresh if we don’t,’ Murphy said.

‘ The Supreme novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham at this point looks the weaker division, but a lot can happen between now and then.’

Murphy’s 26-horse newmarket stable is split almost equally between Flat and jumps horses.

In a town where Flat racing is king, she says mornings on newmarket’s jumps trial ground can be lonely.

While her father has long been involved in jumps racing, Murphy has more experience of Flat racing. She worked for Tom Dascombe’s Cheshire stable and gai Waterhouse in Australia. Her time as assistant trainer to dual Derby-winning trainer luca Cumani included being the work rider of top notcher postponed.

With chaser Mercian prince, Murphy also has her eye on the Topham Trophy at Aintree’s grand national meeting in April. Mercian prince gave her a fourth win of the jumps season at Kempton on Saturday, to go with her six wins on the Flat in 2017.

‘You have to get the winners to make a name for yourself — they are not just going to send you horse,’ she said.

‘ Hopefully we are now starting to prove ourselves.’

novice Behindthelines, whose winnings will be donated to the motor neurone disease charity of former Scotland rugby player Doddie Weir, made a promising start to his career when third to odds-on favourite Coole Hall at Kelso yesterday.