Might has to get his Bite back
NICKY HENDERSON has revealed Might Bite needs to rediscover his confidence to successfully defend his 32Red King George VI Chase crown.
In a race vaunted as a match between the nine-year-old and his Cheltenham Gold Cup conqueror Native River, Might Bite trailed in last, 29 lengths behind course specialist Bristol De Mai in the Betfair Chase at Haydock on Saturday,
Having found nothing significant in terms of injury post-race, Henderson is of the view the horse became apprehensive jumping the unexpectedly stiff Haydock fences and lost his confidence
during the race.
But despite the setback, Might Bite stays on course to run in the King George at Kempton on Boxing Day and remains 7-2 favourite for the Christmas showpiece.
“It was a bit of a bombshell,” said Henderson. “But he’s perfectly sound and bright and there are no injuries.”
Jockey Nico de Boinville suggested after the race that the fences at Haydock were ‘too stiff and unfair’, and could have affected Might Bite’s jumping.
Henderson has since consulted Yogi Breisner, the schooling and jumping guru, to address the issue.
“I had a long chat with Yogi Breisner, because he’s a great assessor of these things, and understands what jumping is all about.” said Henderson. “There’s no doubt to me the fences were big and they were very solid. You know how fluently and flowing this horse jumps, and there was no rhythm to it at all.
“I think he was just fresh and well, and bounded down to one, and it gave him a fright.
“If you go back and watch his early days, the first time we ran him at Cheltenham he just ballooned five fences and that was the end of it. We had to put him away for a year.”
“He wasn’t tired. I just think his game had gone to pieces a little bit.”
“We’ll work out together how we just put his confidence together and I’m not worried about that. “He’s such a good jumper. But it’s all about confidence, and I just think
he lost it.”