Bite Barks Loudly
The Nicky Henderson-trained Might Bite got back on the Festival trail at Doncaster today with an assured 99-length victory in a novices’ chase over an extended three miles.
Partnered by Nico de Boinville, the eight-year-old son of Scorpion jumped well in the main in the three-runner race as he seeked to reassert his RSA Chase credentials following a nasty final-fence fall in the Grade One Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day.
Sent off the 1/7 favourite, De Boinville took up the lead aboard Henderson’s charge after a couple of obstacles and never saw another rival.
Ma Du Fou, the second favourite, fell at the final open ditch when well-beaten leaving the outsider of three Gorran Haven to fill second.
Might Bite remains a 5/1 shot for the RSA Chase over three miles on the Thursday of the Cheltenham Festival.
A happy De Boinville said: “I enjoyed that, we just need him to get his confidence back. I think he is the sort of horse who will be better in a better race. You can be more aggressive on him and his jumping comes to hand the stronger he goes.
“He’s got an awful lot of potential and is going the right way.”
Finders Keepers for Greatrex
At Huntingdon, Keeper Hill took the feature Listed contest, the 188Bet Sidney Banks Memorial Novices’ Hurdle at Huntingdon.
Trained by Warren Greatrex, the five-year-old son of Westerner mastered Messire Des Obeaux, winner of the Challow Hurdle in the closing stages with the latter horse giving the winner 8lbs.
Ridden by Gavin Sheehan, Keeper Hill responded gamely to his jockey’s urgings to score by a neck. Greatrex said: “He’s still very raw and has lots of talent. When his head came down he came alive and I thought if he jumped the last he was always going to get there. He’s got so much talent, I don’t think we’ve got to the bottom of him yet.”
Asked about future plans, Greatrex suggested Cheltenham may now be on Keeper Hill’s agenda, remarking: “We’ll have to have a look at Cheltenham. Gavin feels that in a better race and going at a faster pace will suit him, as he’s got such a high cruising speed. Basically he did everything wrong but still won.”
Keeper Hill was cut by bookmakers to a general 14/1 from 33s for the Neptune Novices’ Hurdle.
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