Might Bites back in RSA Chase thriller

Might Bite just won the RSA Novices' Chase. Check out our report, reaction and free video replay.

2.10 Cheltenham result

1st Might Bite (7/2 favourite)
2nd Whisper (9/2)
3rd Bellshill (5/1)

Race Report

Might Bite ran out an extraordinary winner of the RSA Novices' Chase at the Cheltenham Festival on Wednesday.

Given an aggressive ride by Nico de Boinville, he had his rivals toiling from an early stage and was 15 lengths and more clear rounding the home turn.

He jumped the second last in control, but a mistake at the final fence disrupted his momentum and he hung violently right on the run-in, allowing stablemate Whisper to sweep past him on the inside.

Marinero, a horse that fell early on in the contest, was running loose and played a key role in the finish as his close presence to Might Bite seemed to galvanise the winner who rallied to get back up on the line from his stablemate in a dramatic photo.

It was close, but Might Bite won by a nose in a renewal that won't be forgotten in a hurry.

Reaction

Nico De Boinville: "He did exactly the same in his hurdles run around here, the same thing happened. Without the loose horse I wouldn't have won. He's a thinker but he's so talented, he jumped for fun - he should have five or 10 lengths.

"It's great for the owners and great for guv'nor, he's having a great time of it. I kept faith with this horse, I can see why others might not!

"We'll see (if he is a Gold Cup horse), we might have to iron out a few issues, but he's definitely got the ability."

Nicky Henderson:  "What to make of it all? It just goes to show why you run two horses in a race. You thought he'd done it all well and then he goes and does that.

"If you go back a couple of seasons when he came here as a novice over hurdles, he did exactly the same thing. Davy (Russell) has done everything right on Whisper. You could always see him creeping in there. You thought Might Bite might have got away, then Might Bite said 'come on'.

 "This place has extraordinary tricks. It looked for all the world that he (Might Bite) had thrown it away. A dead-heat would have been fair to everybody, but it wouldn't have been, really, because Might Bite was the best horse.

"It was extraordinary. He's only a baby but he's hugely talented. He just grinds it out and keeps going, but then he stops and has an ice cream!

"He's handled the undulations, the place and the crowd, which wasn't guaranteed. We must be aware of it (his wayward streak) in the future. He's not naughty, or anything like that, but the future is obviously enormous."

Willie Mullins (trianer of Bellshill): "He jumped much better and after his recent performances I was delighted with him. He at least resembled a racehorse which he hasn't of late. He'll go to Punchestown next." 

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