Kalashnikov firing once again

AMY Murphy reports Kalashnikov to be back to himself after being under the weather following a disappointing run at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day.

The Newmarket trainer revealed her stable star returned home ‘sick’ when well-beaten behind Oldgrangewood, who had beaten him a nose on his previous start at Newbury.

However, after treatment, Kalashnikov has now recovered and is being prepared for the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

“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% 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.”

DEFI Du Seuil and Un De Sceaux are the two star names among five runners declared for the Matchbook Clarence House Chase at Ascot.

The Philip Hobbs-trained Defi Du Seuil got the better of Willie Mullins’ Irish raider Un De Sceaux by a neck in a pulsating renewal of the Tingle Creek at Sandown in early December – and the pair will renew rivalry in this weekend’s Grade One feature along with Janika, Capeland and Dan Skelton’s outsider Marracudja.