Kalashnikov to shoot and score at Newbury

AMY MURPHY’S bold decision to take aim at the Betfair Hurdle with Kalashnikov can paid rich dividends at Newbury.

The Newmarket handler pitches her star novice into one of the most competitive handicap events of the campaign on the back of a fair effort when second in the Tolworth last time out.

Kalashnikov just failed to really fire on the heavy ground that day, but he stuck on well and it also later transpired he had lost a shoe during the race.

That defeat ended his three-race unbeaten run and while he has only limited experience so far, this race has thrown up more than one novice winner in the past and he could have any amount of improvement still to come.

All eyes will be on Altior in the Betfair Exchange Chase as he makes his seasonal bow but following his well-publicised breathing issue earlier in the year, he has questions to answer and Politologue looks well placed to exploit any weakness.

Paul Nicholls’ charge is technically rated 5lb inferior to Altior but he has been improving at a rate of knots this season, with his Tingle Creek Chase victory a particularly taking effort.

Obviously if Altior is at his very best there should be no stopping him, but if he is not, Politologue can take full advantage.

Cloudy Dream failed to stay at Aintree last time but is worth another shot in the Betfair Denman Chase.

Tried over three miles and a furlong in the Many Clouds Chase back in December, Cloudy Dream found the combination of heavy ground and strong stayer - and subsequent Cotswold Chase victor - Definitly Red just too tough an ask.

Cloudy Dream drops back to just short of three miles here and while he has a bit to find with Native River, he has the edge of race fitness and can give Ruth Jefferson a first Graded win after she took over her late father Malcolm’s yard at the start of the month.

Saint Calvados can put his age allowance to good use in the Betway Kingmaker Novices’ Chase at Warwick.

The five-year-old has made quite a splash in two starts so far for Harry Whittington, winning on his British bow in December at Newbury before following up with a 10-length demolition job back at that track the following month.

A typically neat French jumper, Saint Calvados is clearly a horse on the upgrade.

Count Otto has seemingly improved immeasurably for a gelding operation and he can keep up the good work in the 32Red.com Handicap at Lingfield.

A winner on his first start back in November, Count Otto then found a couple too good at Kempton in December but bounced back from that disappointing effort with another win last month.

He won an open-looking event that day in fine style, staying on best of all to win by half a length with the second and fifth subsequently boosting the form with their own victories in the interim.

Count Otto has been raised 4lb for that win but a mark of 90 still looks very attractive for Amanda Perrett’s charge. (8) H Dunlop 4 9-7 (D) ........................... H Crouch (110) K Burke 4 9-7 ................ Ben Curtis (28) A Carson 5 9-4 ..................................... L Morris (37) J Chapple-Hyam 4 9-4 (D) ................. S Donohoe (17) H Spiller 4 8-13 (C) ............ Fran Berry (114)JLEyre68-12(D) ............ JFanning (8) G Margarson 7 8-11 (C) ........................ Jane Elliott (5) (17) M Blanshard 4 8-11 (D) ................. C Bishop (9) David Drinkwater 6 8-10 (C2) ........ W Carson (15) J Boyle 4 8-5 ...................... Josephine Gordon BETTING: 5-2 Assanilka, 4 Natalie Express, 6 Baby Gal, 7 Wicker, 8 Made Of Honour, 10 Hawatif, 12 Make On Madam, Hipz, 16 Others. (15) C Wallis 9-9 (CD) ........................... W Carson 60 (114) D O’Meara 9-2 (BF) ........ M Harley 62 (37) R Cowell 9-2 ............. E J Walsh (3) 58 (22) M Attwater 9-2 ............................. J Watson (7) 50 MUsher9-2 ................................ SDonohoe — (16)SDixon9-2 .............. BenCurtis 46 R Ingram 8-11 ..................... Rhiain Ingram (5) — (35) M Quinn 8-11 ................. T Marquand 39 BETTING: 2 Gabrial The Devil, 9-4 Sir Hector, 4 Grandfather Tom, 10 Shortbackandsides, 12 Hornby, 14 Q Twenty Boy, 20 Purple Dragon, 25 Maison Wix. MR SCARAMANGA (29) S Dow 4 9-7 (CD) ........... T Marquand MY TARGET (29) M Wigham 7 9-6 (CD5) ..... Josephine Gordon LEADER WRITER (133) H Spiller 6 9-5 (D3) ............ Fran Berry COTE D’AZUR (120) J L Eyre 5 9-3 (D) ..................... P Hanagan CHEVALLIER (14) Archie Watson 6 8-13 (CD3) ............ L Morris POET’S SOCIETY (16)MJohnston48-11 ................ JFanning THE WARRIOR (119) Mrs A Perrett 6 8-11 (D) ........... J Haynes TOWERLANDS PARK (14) S Durack 5 8-11 (D) ......... M Harley FORCEFUL APPEAL (26) S Dow 10 8-9 (CD5) Levi Williams (7) FRANCO’S SECRET (14) P Hedger 7 8-8 (CD4) .......... M Dwyer MEDICI BANCHIERE (28)KBurke48-2 ................... KO’Neill BETTING: 7-2 The Warrior, 4 Poet’s Society, 5 Chevallier, 7 Mr Scaramanga, Towerlands Park, 10 Cote d’Azur, My Target, 14 Medici Banchiere, 16 Others. GABRIAL THE THUG (19) P Morris 8 11-2 (CD7) ...Mr S Walker MISU PETE (33) M Usher 6 11-0 (C2) ....... Miss E Mackenzie (5) BEATBYBEATBYBEAT (8) A Brittain 5 10-13 ..Miss Becky Smith KAFOO (8) M Appleby 5 10-13 ...................... Mr J Kendrick (5) ALMANACK (36) Mark Pattinson 8 10-12 (CD) ... Miss S Brotherton DOSE (9) R Fahey 5 10-11 .............................. Mr B Garritty (5) SCRUTINY (23) K Ryan 7 10-9 ....................... Miss H T Lees (7) SEVILLA (172) Olly Murphy 5 10-9 ................... Mr L Stones (5) SATCHVILLE FLYER (3) P Evans 7 10-9 ........ Mr L Williams (3) PORT SOIF (23) Kenneth Slack 4 10-6 ......... Miss A M Slack (7) SHEER INTENSITY (8) P Evans 5 10-0 ........ Brodie Hampson JEREMY’S JET (15)ACarroll710-0 .............. MrAlexEdwards PENTITO RAP BMillman410-0 ....................... MrPMillman BETTING: 7-2 Port Soif, 5 Gabrial The Thug, 6 Beatbybeatbybeat, 8 Dose, Sevilla, 10 Satchville Flyer, 12 Misu Pete, Jeremy’s Jet, 14 Others. (14) D Ivory 5 9-10 ................................. R Winston (9) R Fahey 4 9-10 (CD) ................ S Woods (7) (29) D Loughnane 7 9-7 (CD) ....... E Greatrex (25) A Carroll 8 9-7 (CD) ............. J Watson (7) (21) P McEntee 4 9-6 (BF, CD).. Nicola Currie (5) (17) M Channon 4 9-6 .......................... P Bradley (5) (7) P Evans 9 9-4 (CD3) ...... Katherine Glenister (7) (28) J Mackie 5 9-3 (CD) ........................ J Fanning (8) J G O’Shea 8 9-1 (D7) .................. Georgia Cox (3) (8)ABrittain88-11(CD4) .................. CHardie BETTING: 7-2 Dark Alliance, 4 Spare Parts, 5 Baltic Prince, 7 Lucky Lodge, 8 Kadrizzi, Ebbisham, 10 Right Action, 14 Clement, Athassel, 20 Sayesse.

5-4fav Held up towards rear, good headway between horses entering final furlong, ridden and ran on to lead towards finish, readily, won at Lingfield 1m hcp 0-65 (6) pol in Jan beating Madrinho by 1/2l, 10 ran. 6-4fav Led over 1f, soon settled 3rd, pushed along over 3f out, rallied on inside over 1f out, went 2nd soon after and kept on inside final furlong, no extra and lost 2nd towards finish, 3rd of 10, 1 1/4l behind Touch The Clouds at Chelmsford City 1m hcp (6) pol in Jan. 9-1 Chased leaders, 2nd over 2f out, led over 1f out, ridden and ran on well, won at Kempton 7f hcap 0-70 (5) pol in Jan beating Interlink by 1 1/4l, 13 ran. 8-1 Mid-division, headway over 1f out, led inside final furlong, all out, won at Wolverhampton 7f hcp 0-65 (6) beating Chaucer’s Tale by hd, 9 ran. 11-2 Prominent, went 2nd inside final furlong, no impression on winner, lost 2nd close home, 3rd of 9, 1 3/4l behind Kelly’s Dino at Wolverhampton 1m 1f hcp 0-80 (4) in Jan. 8-1 Led early, chased leaders on inside, led approaching final 2f, ridden and headed over 1f out, weakened inside final furlong, 8th of 14, 6l behind Lacan at Kempton 1m hcp 0-80 (4) pol in Jan. (15) M Channon 9-5 .................. P Bradley (5) (14) R Hannon 9-5 ........................ G Mahon (5) M Johnston 9-5 ............................. J Fanning (14) Miss Amy Murphy 9-5 ........ J Mitchell (21) Richard Spencer 9-0 ............. Fran Berry (14) A Balding 9-0 ......................... O Murphy (31) J Gosden 9-0 ............................... K O’Neill BETTING: 7-4 Heather Lark, 5-2 Pilgrim Soul, 4 River Glades, 7 Banksy’s Art, 10 Sophie Gray, 25 Given Name, The Accountant.

11-4 Raced wide close up, ridden and ran on strongly to lead towards finish, won at Lingfield 6f 3yo hcp 0-90 (3) pol in Jan beating Helvetian by 1/2l, 5 ran. 7-2 Steadied start, held up in touch in last pair, good headway between horses over 1f out, quickened to lead inside final furlong, soon clear, readily, won at Kempton 6f hcp 0-85 (4) pol in Jan beating Our Man In Havana by 4l, 7 ran. 5-2fav Made all, soon clear, coasted home final 75 yards, unchallenged, won at Wolverhampton 5f hcp 0-85 (4) in Jan beating Joegogo by 2l, 7 ran. BROTHER TIGER (7) D C Griffiths 9 9-9 (CD) ................ S Levey BORN TO FINISH (36) J Osborne 5 9-9 (CD2) ........... D Costello TORIANO (24) N Littmoden 5 9-7 (C2) ................... S Donohoe POUR LA VICTOIRE (29) A Carroll 8 9-7 (C2, D3) .... G Downing JUAN HORSEPOWER (29) R Hannon 4 9-6 (C, D) T Marquand MONUMENTAL MAN (29) M Attwater 9 9-5 (CD) ........... K Fox VERY HONEST (9) B Johnson 5 9-4 (CD) ........... C Shepherd (3) DREAM FARR (150) Ed Walker 5 9-2 (D2) ................... L Morris PEACE OFFICER (71) D P Quinn 5 9-0 (D) ............ N Garbutt (3) PICKET LINE (21) G Deacon 6 8-13 (D2) .............. C Bennett (3) BRIDGE BUILDER (14) P Hedger 8 8-13 (CD3) .......... C Bishop DEEDS NOT WORDS (10) M Wigham 7 8-10 (D8) .Josephine Gordon BETTING: 5 Brother Tiger, 6 Very Honest, Bridge Builder, 7 Peace Officer, Born To Finish, 8 Dream Farr, 10 Juan Horsepower, 12 Toriano, Picket Line, 14 Others.

10-1 Raced keenly, mid-division, driven to chase leaders inside final 2f, ridden and ran on well inside final furlong, took 2nd near finish, just failed, 2nd of 12, shd behind Kachy at Lingfield 6f Listed stks (1) pol. 4-1 Tracked leaders, ridden and every chance inside final furlong, just held close home, 2nd of 7, hd behind Caspian Prince at Newcastle 5f cnd stks (4yo+) (2) in Jan. 7-1 Keen, tracked winner until halfway, tracked leaders, ridden and slightly outpaced over 1f out, driven and ran on to press winner close home, 2nd of 9, hd behind Reflektor at Lingfield 6f hcp 0-95 (3) pol in Jan.

7-2 Chased leaders, ran on inside final furlong, not reach leaders, 3rd of 8, 3/4l behind Gracious John at Wolverhampton 5f 3yo hcp 0-105 (2) in Dec. WAROFINDEPENDENCE (19) J G O’Shea 6 9-7 ..... T J Murphy READY (65) Mark Pattinson 8 9-7 (CD) ................ P Bradley (5) CAPTAIN REVELATION (23) M Mullineaux 6 9-6 .. Phil Dennis (3) CRYSTAL SUNSTONE (114) A Hales 4 9-4 .................. L Morris ARABIAN OASIS M Herrington 6 9-4 (CD) .......... N Garbutt (3) BELL HEATHER (19) P Morris 5 9-4 (CD) ................. Fran Berry CELTIC ARTISAN (16) Rebecca Menzies 7 9-3 (CD2) .O Murphy MY FANTASEA (10) I Williams 5 9-0 ..................... R Kingscote STAR OF THE STAGE (298) J Butler 6 8-13 .............. T Clark (3) RAVENHOE (3) M Johnston 5 8-10 (CD) .......... O Stammers (7) LOG OFF (65) Miss K George 4 8-9 (CD) .................... E Greatrex KAY SERA (20) A Newcombe 10 8-8 (C) ...................... K O’Neill NEW ABBEY ANGEL (28) K Dalgleish 5 8-8 ............ R Scott (3) BETTING: 11-4 Ravenhoe, 9-2 Crystal Sunstone, 6 Celtic Artisan, 8 Log Off, 10 My Fantasea, Bell Heather, 12 New Abbey Angel, 16 Warofindependence, Star Of The Stage, 20 Others.