Trainer Nicky Henderson praised Might Bite after the nine-year-old bounced back from Gold Cup disappointment to win the Betway Bowl on the first day of the Grand National Festival at Aintree.
Second best to Native River last month at Cheltenham, Might Bite this time proved too strong for Bristol De Mai in the closing stages and justified 4/5 favouritism by winning by seven lengths.
“That was as good a round of jumping as youll ever see. He was just on it the whole way – he was doing crazy things,” said Henderson.
Read more: Soft ground on cards for Grand National, say Aintree officials
“The horse was just enjoying himself. Hes been telling us hes right, but you just cant tell until you run them how much they have left [following Cheltenham].”
The nine-year-old, ridden by Nico de Boinville, was the second of three Grade One wins for Henderson on Thursday.
We Have A Dream prevailed by the same margin in the Juvenile Hurdle, and LAmi Serge completed the hat-trick by pipping 11/10 favourite Supasundae in the Aintree Hurdle.
Henderson will not have a runner in the three-day meetings showpiece race, however, after the soft ground persuaded him to withdraw 25/1 chance Gold Present at the 48-hour declaration stage.
Trainer Nicky Henderson praised Might Bite after the nine-year-old bounced back from Gold Cup disappointment to win the Betway Bowl on the first day of the Grand National Festival at Aintree.
Second best to Native River last month at Cheltenham, Might Bite this time proved too strong for Bristol De Mai in the closing stages and justified 4/5 favouritism by winning by seven lengths.
“That was as good a round of jumping as youll ever see. He was just on it the whole way – he was doing crazy things,” said Henderson.
Read more: Soft ground on cards for Grand National, say Aintree officials
“The horse was just enjoying himself. Hes been telling us hes right, but you just cant tell until you run them how much they have left [following Cheltenham].”
The nine-year-old, ridden by Nico de Boinville, was the second of three Grade One wins for Henderson on Thursday.
We Have A Dream prevailed by the same margin in the Juvenile Hurdle, and LAmi Serge completed the hat-trick by pipping 11/10 favourite Supasundae in the Aintree Hurdle.
Henderson will not have a runner in the three-day meetings showpiece race, however, after the soft ground persuaded him to withdraw 25/1 chance Gold Present at the 48-hour declaration stage.
