Trading places: Glen Forsa upsets Kalashnikov to stake Arkle claims

There was something of an abdication from Kalashnikov in the triumphal procession of Glen Forsa in the resurrected Kingmaker Novices' Chase.

Bookmakers agreed as the pair traded places in the Racing Post Arkle betting, with Glen Forsa shortened into single figures from 20-1 pre-race while Kalashnikov was pushed out to as big as 20-1 (from 5-1).

The four minutes it took to run the Grade 2 turned the future of both runners upside down as immediate post-race comments suggested the winner will head for the Arkle, with Kalashnikov potentially rerouted to the Cheltenham Festival's longer JLT Novices Chase, for which was unchanged at 10-1 with Paddy Power.

Winning owner Tim Radford had been keen to try the shorter trip, just short of two miles, with Glen Forsa and the manner of his all-the-way romp repaid the venture.

Glen Forsa, sent off at 7-2, comprehensively outjumped Kalashnikov after the favourite had stuttered over the water and rooted the next, the first of the Railway fences.

The contest was essentially over from there as Jonathan Burke pushed Glen Forsa further clear to win by 19 lengths.

Full race result

Jack Channon, assistant to his father and winning trainer Mick, said: "He had trained well since his Kempton win, which has worked out well, and we always thought he was very decent."

On potential targets, Channon added: "He's in two Cheltenham races and we'll look at the Arkle now. He's in the JLT as well.

"I was proved wrong today about him having the pace for two miles and he's put a good horse like Kalashnikov under pressure a long way out."

Amy Murphy was understandably downbeat with the performance of Kalashnikov, who now sits between 12-1 and 20-1 for the Arkle, a race for which he had been favourite before defeat in the Wayward Lad at Kempton in December.

"That was very disappointing and I can't say any different," said Murphy. "We'll check him out but Jack [Quinlan, jockey] said he wasn't travelling with his usual zest.

"We'll keep both our entries for the festival and regroup. He'll go for one race or the other, but the JLT has to come into the reckoning now."

The race was reduced to three runners when Dalila Du Seuil, a 9-2 chance, was withdrawn after bleeding from one of her nostrils on the way to post.

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