Nicholls fancies a Bite to devour his rivals
NOBODY has a better record in today’s 32Red King George VI Chase than Paul Nicholls, successful nine times in the Boxing Day headliner, and he believes Might Bite can lift the coveted prize – if the ground does not become heavy.
Nicholls has monopolized the Kempton extravaganza which was first run in 1937.
He fine-tuned Kauto Star, one of jump racing’s iconic legends, to take the prize a record five times.
See More Business and Silviniaco Conti both won the prize twice for the Somerset trainer.
This year he is without a runner but his interest in the race has not been diminished.
“Of course, I would love to have a runner but you can’t invent them,” he said. “If you have not got one good enough, you have to sit back and watch it.
“I’ve had a runner in the race for the last 10 or 12 years on the trot and won nine of them.
“One day we will get another horse good enough. I’ll enjoy watching it.
“It would be nice to have a runner, you like to have a runner in every race but it just does not happen.”
Nicholls, the 10-times champion trainer, believes the weather will be a crucial factor to the outcome of the event which has been celebrated by some mighty giants.
Desert Orchid, everybody’s favourite grey, triumphed on four occasions.
Arkle, still regarded by many as the greatest steeplechaser, won the prize back in 1965.
“If we get a lot of rain Bristol De Mai has a big chance. But Might Bite is probably the one they have to beat,” said Nicholls.
“He might want better ground, he’s a second season chaser. And the same remark applies to Thistlecrack (winner of last year’s race) in a lot of ways.
“I think you will find he will run a lot better than he did the other day.
“He will come on a lot from that run at Newbury. I think he ran a bit free on that occasion. He will improve from that outing.
“As always it’s a very interesting race.”
Nicholls has no hesitation nominating Kauto Star’s fifth victory in 2011 as his most memorable moment.
Many had questioned Nicholls’s decision to continue campaigning the great warrior – believing retirement had beckoned. But the canny Nicholls gave his detractors the perfect answer when at the age of 11, Kauto Star, under a masterful ride from Ruby Walsh, effortlessly took the prize from Long Run, a dual winner of the race. “Kauto’s fifth victory was unbelievable. I’ll never forget that day. “That day he won and when he ran at Haydock (the race before the King George) I think he was as good as he’s ever been. “It was brilliant. An amazing day. “Basically, you need a Cheltenham Gold Cup horse to win the race.” This remark is vindicated as Kauto Star won two Cheltenham Gold Cups and See More Business also took the prize. Nicolls might be without a King George horse but he has a leading player in Politologue for two-mile championship honours this season. “He runs at Kempton on Wednesday,” he said. “He could go right to the top.” The Queen Mother Champion Chase is the target – another race Nicholls has dominated with his four victories.