Might Bite may go back over hurdles after Aintree mishap

Nicky Henderson looking at going back to smaller obstacles after early exit in the Many Clouds Chase on Merseyside

Might Bite may go back hurdles on his next start following his early exit in the Virgin Bet Price Boosts Many Clouds Chase at Aintree Racecourse on Saturday.

The Grade Two contest at the home of the Randox Health Grand National was due to be a rematch between the Colin Tizzard-trained Native River and Nicky Henderson’s Might Bite.

The duo fought out a thrilling finish in the 2018 Cheltenham Gold Cup at the Cheltenham Festival with Native River coming out on top.

But any hopes of another battle was over when Might Bite blundered at the fourth fence and unseated his regular partner Nico de Boinville. Native River went on to score by 33 lengths in the four-runner contest.

It was the latest disappointing effort from Might Bite, who has failed to shine winning the Betway Bowl the month after that Gold Cup clash at Aintree's Grand National Festival.

Henderson reported to be none the 10-year-old worse for the exertions, where he carried on riderless for much of the 3m2f at Aintree.

The Seven Barrows handler said: "He seems fine. He continued on round (after unseating De Boinville) and jumped like a bird the rest of the way. He even jumped one of the Grand National fences - you might as well put him in the National now he thinks he can jump National fences.

“It is frustrating. Now I’m in real trouble. I could even think about a hurdle race, as where do I find a race (over fences) for him?

“Nico has been saying he wants two-and-a-half miles, but let’s face it, Native River was setting him a pace that he was comfortable with on Saturday.

“The alternative was to go for the Peterborough Chase (at Huntingdon on Sunday), but I don’t think he could have laid up with them.

“He doesn’t want two-and-a-half, he wants three miles.”