Friday afternoon Might Bite, the quirky yet talented chaser, hopes to give his owners the biggest prize in national hunt racing, the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
A horse blessed with a huge amount of natural talent, he has provided The Knot Again Partnership a rollercoaster ride in racehorse ownership, but today he could stamp his name into the history books.
“We have had quite a few horses with Nicky (Henderson) over the years,” said part-owner David Minton.
“We had My Tent Or Yours before JP McManus, and when we sold him that gave us some money in the kitty. Then a horse called My Wigwam Or Yours, but he wasn’t a great success. A few of us then bought Might Bite.
“I’d seen him with Nicky when he came up in a box at Jessica Harrington’s yard, and we loved him. We bought him and sent him to be trained with him.
With a sire called Scorpion and a dam called Mitted Ridge (a tool used by anglers for catching fish), the name Might Bite was rather fitting.
Might Bite finished third on his only start in bumper company, before beginning to show his class over a two-year hurdling campaign.
He landed prizes at Newbury, Kempton and Cheltenham although his real quality would be unearthed when sent chasing.
Second on Ffos Las on his debut over fences, he emerged as a fantastic novice when running out an impressive fourteen length winner at Doncaster.
Upped in class he took on a good field in Kempton’s Grade One Kauto Star Novices' Chase where he cruised into a phenomenal 18 length lead going over the last. A bad jump, and a tumble ended what would’ve been an ultra-impressive performance.
Might Bite’s impressive natural talent was something special, and after an easy win on return to Yorkshire he headed as a hot favourite for the RSA Novice Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
The relentless quick gallop set by Nico De Boinville saw him quickly lead the field of twelve, and as he gradually moved up the gears his advantage continued to grow.
He faced the last, once again with a big margin, and although not the best of jumps he was over and safe. Surely he couldn’t lose now?
“I didn’t watch him jump the last, not after what happened at Kempton,” Minton added.
“When I looked up I suddenly saw him veering towards us in the grandstand. I thought ‘here we go again’. But then he picked up again, it was quite amazing really everyone was absolutely gobsmacked.”
“I have been involved with quite a few horses, but it was our team’s first winner at the Festival. It was very special.”
Might Bite looked to have lost the race when running diagonally letting stablemate Whisper overtake him in the final hundred yards. But Might Bite battled bravely to regain the advantage, winning by just a nose.
He completed the Aintree double over his rival this time much more comfortably and professionally. The 2018 Cheltenham Gold Cup was the target.
After a comfortable returning success at Sandown, Henderson’s superstar nine-year-old landed the prestigious King George at Kempton on Boxing Day.
Once again aided by his supremely fast natural speed, he jumped much more comfortably to see off nearest rival Double Shuffle by a length.
“The plan this season was to go to Sandown before the King George,” added the part-owner.
“He did it really well in the end, the way he jumped the last was as fresh as paint.
“Ruby’s comments (Might Bite could be ‘potentially one of the best we have ever seen) were great to hear, I hope he is right.”
Might Bite returns to Cheltenham as a hot favourite for the feature event for the Festival, but this is undoubtedly his biggest test yet.
Only ten horses have ever won both the King George and Gold Cup in the same season, and the Knot Again Partnership are hoping their star can join the likes of Arkle, Desert Orchid, Best Mate and Kauto Star in the record books.
The likes of Native River and Our Duke are sure to set the level of quality to a high level, but the reports from Nicky Henderson’s Seven Barrow’s stables are hugely encouraging.
“I haven’t seen the horse, I kept out of Nicky’s way,” added Minton.
“I am good mates with Nicky, I talk to him three or four times a week. According to the trainer he has never been better, his schooling has been brilliant and his work has been very good.
“Nicky used the word ‘aeroplane’ about him, which only ever used for Sprinter Sacre, Altior and him! We are hoping he might be right.”
“We don’t want the ground to get too heavy, and I think he will cope with good and soft ground. If it is bottomless then it wouldn’t suit him.
“Everyone is coming for it, and we can’t wait to see him run now.”
Might Bite is currently a 9/2 favourite for the Cheltenham Gold Cup which is run at 3:30pm on Friday afternoon.
