Might Bite has breathing room for Gold Cup return

Nicky Henderson says Might Bite is unlikely to race before the Cheltenham Gold Cup after undergoing a procedure to help his breathing.

The 2018 Gold Cup runner-up finished last on his seasonal reappearance at Haydock in November and again trailed in seventh of the seven finishers in the King George VI Chase on Boxing Day.

A trickle of blood was found coming from his nose after the Kempton showpiece and the ten-year-old gelding will now have his palate cauterised, an operation which he also underwent in 2016.

“Our only priority is his health and well-being,” said Henderson, who is unconcerned by the proximity to March’s jumping showpiece.

“Timing-wise we are absolutely fine, as he’ll miss less than two weeks work, which shouldn’t hold him back too much as he’s already race fit,” the trainer added in his Unibet column.

“But it would almost certainly rule him out of running in anything before the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

“He didn’t run again between Kempton and the Gold Cup last year, so it shouldn’t make any difference again.”