Trainer Nicky Henderson has confirmed that 2017 King George VI Chase hero Might Bite has been retired.
The Boxing Day success at Kempton just over three years ago will undoubtedly go down as Might Bite’s greatest achievement, but he also enjoyed plenty of other success, including his victory in the RSA Chase at the Cheltenham Festival earlier that same year when he held off a late charge from stablemate Whisper to win by a nose.
The 11-year-old went on to finish second in the Gold Cup at Prestbury Park the following year, but his form dropped off following that performance and the decision has now been taken by Henderson to retire him.
“It is a sad day at Seven Barrows as we have decided to call time on the career of Might Bite who has been retired after we came to the conclusion that perhaps he wasn’t enjoying his racing quite as much as the good old days,” Henderson told Unibet.
Might Bite’s final appearance came at Aintree last month when he was pulled up in the Grand Sefton Handicap Chase after falling way off the pace.
That was a disappointing way for the son of Scorpion to finish his career, but Henderson is more focused on the positive memories he enjoyed with the gelding.
Henderson added: “He was one of the most amazing characters you’ll ever come across and was the most gorgeous looking horse you will ever see; he had so much presence about him and stood out more than anything else in the parade ring and was in the Sprinter Sacre sort of mould.
“In fact we pretty much purchased him on looks rather than anything else because at the time his sire, Scorpion, wasn’t as popular as he is now so we took a bit of a shot in the dark, but it was definitely worth it and he ended up winning just shy of £607,000 in prize-money and 10 of his 25 starts which is quite phenomenal.”
