KALASHNIKOV put up a big performance on Saturday at Newbury to win the Betfair Hurdle.

Not that novices don’t do well in the race, the most valuable handicap hurdle run in Britain. On the contrary, they do very well. They are the unexposed horses, the ones who have the potential to be ahead of the handicapper, and last year two novices, Ballyandy and Movewiththetimes, finished first and second.