Cheltenham too soon for Kalashnikov

Amy Murphy claims the BetVictor Gold Cup at Cheltenham will come too soon for Kalashnikov and he is set to run at Newbury instead. The Newmarket-based trainer had set her sights on pitching the six-year-old novice chaser into action at Prestbury Park for this Saturday’s feature event. However, while Kalashnikov looked in decent form when finishing second to Forest Bihan in last month’s Old Roan Chase at Aintree on his start to the season, Murphy is looking to take him to Newbury on November 29 instead. She said: “He’s A1 and cantered this morning. I just feel Cheltenham is going to come a touch too soon for him after Aintree – and I’m not sure running him in a 20-runner handicap with all the hurly burly is the right thing to do at this stage of the season. “The plan now is to go to Newbury for the two-and-a-half-mile handicap on the Friday of the Ladbrokes Trophy meeting – it’s the race Aso won for Venetia Williams last season.” Murphy also revealed that Mercian Prince will represent her stable in the Gold Cup at Cheltenham this weekend.