Murphy has Kalashnikov ready for Sandown battle

Young trainer Amy Murphy has already made giant strides in racing, but a Grade One victory for Kalashnikov in the 32Red Tolworth Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown will take her to new heights.

Based in Newmarket, Murphy holds a dual-purpose licence but there is no doubting that Kalashnikov is the star of her burgeoning team.

Winner of a bumper at Wetherby last March, he returned to the Yorkshire track to make an impressive hurdling debut in November.

He looked even more the real deal when slamming a useful prospect at Doncaster by 10 lengths and this looks the next logical step.

Murphy said: “He’s in good order and we’re looking forward to it.

“Obviously it’s a big step up in class, but he’s been very professional in everything he’s done so far.

“The ground is probably softer than ideal, but we’ll have a better idea of where we stand after the race.

“It’s very exciting and to have a horse of his calibre in our first season is brilliant.”

Kalashnikov’s main market rival is the Warren Greatrex-trained Western Ryder, who certainly has the experience edge.

This will be his 10th race, having taken in six bumpers last season, including when he went close at Cheltenham and Aintree.

His hurdling career did not get off to the best of starts when he unseated Richard Johnson at the third flight at Stratford but he got back on track when winning at Chepstow in November.

Western Ryder then showed what he was made of with a gutsy win at Cheltenham, beating the useful Lalor and Summerville Boy, who renews rivalry at Sandown.