The Nicky Henderson trained Might Bite returns to racing on Thursday, for its first run since falling at Kempton on Boxing Day. The eight-year-old was 18 lengths clear in the Grade One, Kauto Star Novices' Chase, when crashing at the last fence, leaving the path clear for Royal Vacation to breeze home to a 12 length victory, who franked that form a couple of weeks ago by landing the Timeform Novices' Handicap Chase on Cheltenham Trials Day by eight lengths.
Royal Vacation is now a 20/1 shot for the RSA Chase at the Festival, with Might Bite an 11/2 chance in the same race! It has to be assumed that had he not fallen last time out, he would have romped to victory, so all eyes will be on the Seven Barrows runner to see how he looks following a 45 day break.
Jockey and work rider at home, Nico de Boinville, said "Might Bite has come out of it (the fall on Boxing Day) ok and has schooled at home with confidence. We’ve always thought a lot of him and it’s been a case of getting him to that point. Visually he was very impressive until that mishap at Kempton and I’m looking forward to riding him at Doncaster. Hopefully he can have a nice run round and get his confidence sky-high before Cheltenham.”
A 1/8 chance to win at Doncaster, he is no betting proposition at the South Yorkshire track on Thursday. However, there is plenty of interest from an ante-post perspective with entries in both the RSA and JLT Novices' Chase, next month.
