Bite’s just right for a battle of Festival might
JOCKEY Nico de Boinville has batted away sceptics who have questioned the value of Might Bite’s win in the King George VI Chase. The Nicky Henderson-trained gelding was flawless in jumping round Kempton on Boxing Day but the fact that he was chased
NEW ONE STAYERS’ TEST
NIGEL TWISTON-DAVIES says The New One will be aimed at the three-mile Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in March after being brushed aside by Buveur D’Air in Kempton’s Christmas Hurdle on Boxing Day. Reflecting on Bristol De Mai’s sixth place in the King George, he added: ‘He was never at the races, was he? There is nothing wrong with him. Maybe he is ground-dependent. We will have to follow the rain.’ home by 50-1 shot Double Shuffle and 20-1 chance Tea For Two has left a question mark over the form for some. Others have questioned whether the elegant and graceful eight-year-old will relish an eyeballs-out battle on Cheltenham’s uphill finish, where he veered violently right before winning last year’s RSA Chase. Henderson himself even conceded that the challenges of Cheltenham amounted to a ‘different ball game’ compared to Kempton. But De Boinville, who followed his triumph on Might Bite by winning at Kempton yesterday on Henderson’s Kayf Grace, said: ‘He has proved what he can do now. It rode like a good race. ‘It was run in softer conditions than I thought were ideal. I am sure we will see a better horse on better ground. ‘I would like to think if something had come to my girths he would have gone on again. I think he would relish a battle if it came to it. ‘Bar that bit at the end of the RSA Chase last season, he loved the track at Cheltenham and handled it really well.’ Pointing to Might Bite’s exaggerated jump at the final fence, De Boinville added: ‘Tired horses don’t get that high and he has given it loads of air. He jumped the last like he could have gone round again.’ Might Bite’s main Festival rivals could face each other in today’s Leopardstown Christmas Chase with Jessica Harrington’s 2017 Gold Cup winner Sizing John heading the line-up. But the most fascinating runner is Willie Mullins’ dual Festival winner Yorkhill, a gelding his trainer seemingly believes is so talented he could win contests as diverse as the Champion Hurdle or Eurovision Song Contest if entered. All will be hoping for less drama than at Leopardstown yesterday when Mullins’ Paul Townend-ridden Min was disqualified for almost putting Simply Ned over the rails after the last fence in the Paddy’s Reward Club Chase. The stewards reversed the placings and the Mark Walshridden 16-1 shot, Simply Ned, delivered a first Grade One win for trainer Nicky Richards since Monet’s Garden won the 2010 Ascot Chase. The Grade One Future Champions Novices’ Hurdle went to Mullins-trained Whiskey Sour, but only after favourite Mengli Khan had galloped through the wing of the penultimate hurdle when still leading, and Mullinstrained duelling leaders Sharjah and Real Steel both fell at the last.