NICKY MIGHT GO FOR GOLD
Henderson’s Bite on the attack
NICKY HENDERSON says he will adopt a more attacking policy with Might Bite next season after the gelding led a Grade One treble for the trainer on day one of the Grand National meeting.
The 67-year-old, who all but secured a fifth jump trainers’ championship yesterday, will not have a runner in tomorrow’s Randox Health Grand National after he pulled out Gold Present because of the soft ground.
But fears that Might Bite might have had his brilliance dented by the testing ground in his draining and ultimately losing duel with Native River in the Cheltenham Gold Cup were proved false as the 4-5 favourite barely put a foot wrong with a seven-length win from Bristol De Mai.
Might Bite has raced only four times this season, also winning the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day after a prep-race at Sandown. But the gelding’s programme next season could take in the Betfair Chase at Haydock in November.
Henderson said: ‘I walked the course this morning and it was soft enough. I was anxious.
‘He has been fresh and well since Cheltenham and he was the one you thought wouldn’t be after his gruelling race. It was quite brave coming here and I had my doubts.
‘But he has only effectively had three races this season — he had a canter round at Sandown — and they’re here to race.
‘We might be a bit braver next season and go to the King George via the Betfair Chase. And I’d love to have another crack at the Gold Cup on good ground.’
With Henderson also winning the Doom Bar Juvenile Hurdle with We Have A Dream and Betway Aintree Hurdle with L’Ami Serge — both owned by Simon Munir and Isaac Souede and ridden by Daryl Jacob — his lead over Paul Nicholls is over £900,000.
Jacob kicked on early with We Have A Dream before beating Gumball seven lengths, but sat way off a furious early pace set by Diakali on L’Ami Serge before delivering his mount at the last hurdle to pull three lengths clear of favourite Supasundae.
L’Ami Serge won the French Champion Hurdle last year and that race will be his target again.
The other Grade One on the card, the Manifesto Novices’ Chase, went to Colin Tizzard’s Finian’s Oscar.
The first race over the Grand National fences, the Foxhunters’ Chase, went to Derek O’Connor ridden 11-2 shot Balnaslow. The race took 17 seconds longer than the 2017 edition, an indication of the soft ground.
There was one equine fatality with Lilbitluso being put down on welfare grounds after falling at the Canal Turn.
Irish amateur Jamie Codd picked up a 17-day ban for excessive use of his whip on Bumper winner Getaway Katie Mai.