'You could write a bloody book on him' - quirky but talented Might Bite retired

The colourful career of Might Bite, the King George VI Chase hero in 2017, is over after his retirement was confirmed on Wednesday with Nicky Henderson hailing the enigmatic chaser's victory in that year's RSA as the most extraordinary performance he has seen.

A stunning son of Scorpion, Might Bite won ten of his 25 starts, which included four at the highest level, while he pocketed connections £606,915 in prize-money.

But the facts and figures do not begin to tell the full story of a horse with a huge engine who also possessed the odd quirk that helped make him a favourite at Henderson's Lambourn yard.

Bred by John O'Brien, who works for JP McManus at Martinstown Stud, Might Bite won two novice hurdles, but was always regarded as a mouthwatering prospect for fences, although he suffered a horror fall when firmly in command of the 2016 Kauto Star Novices' Chase at Kempton before nearly throwing away the RSA a few months later when hanging violently right before regaining momentum to deny stablemate Whisper in astonishing fashion.

Watch Might Bite nearly snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in the RSA

As a senior chaser, he dismissed Frodon by eight lengths in a graduation event at Sandown, which preceded King George glory and a Cheltenham Gold Cup for the ages when Native River prevailed from Nico de Boinville's mount in an epic contest.

Might Bite, whose other Grade 1 strikes came in Aintree's Mildmay Novices' Chase and the Bowl, will spend his retirement with Charles Barnett, former supremo at Aintree and Ascot.

Might Bite: won the King George VI Chase in 2017Credit: Edward Whitaker

"You could write a bloody book on him!" Henderson said. "He goes out hale and hearty and will have a lovely, happy retirement with Charlie and his family.

"He was straightforward at home, but always a great character. He was as good a looking horse as you'd see and I think he knew it. He was a bit of a poser, but he was a just a big, fantastic animal – in the Sprinter Sacre mould.

"We liked him as a youngster and put a syndicate together of suitable reprobates, which included Minty [bloodstock agent David Minton] and my sister Josie, as well as other mates and owners and it was managed by Simon Philip.

"It was entertaining from the beginning to the end and if he belonged to one person, only he or she would have enjoyed him, but at least a whole heap got a lot of pleasure out of him."

Reflecting on that famous RSA, when Might Bite set a searching gallop that found out his rivals only to idle at the last and almost hand victory to Whisper before remarkably getting back up, Henderson added: "He'd come across the track at Cheltenham in a novice hurdle and tried to duck out, which was the first indication of any wayward tendencies.

"The RSA was the most extraordinary performance I've ever seen and I suppose I was the only one in a win-win situation because I had Whisper as well. A dead-heat would have been a fair result as it was as close as you can get and Might Bite was mighty naughty that day.

When Might Bite took a detour via the Guinness Village

In command: Might Bite has a clear lead as he hits the rising ground after the last in the RSA Novices' Chase in 2017

Uh-oh: Might Bite starts to veer towards the stands' side with a loose horse for company

Oh no! Might Bite loses valuable momentum and stablemate Whisper (right) appears set to capitalise

All change: Whisper hits the front and looks to seal an unlikely victory

Remarkable: Might Bite battles back in the final 100 yards to just deny Whisper. A thriller!

"At Aintree next time in the Mildmay, we decided not to give him a smack before the last because he'd not needed one at Kempton and Cheltenham and Might Bite being Might Bite rather resented the fact he'd galloped the opposition into submission and a reminder was a complete insult, so went and did something stupid!

"He was fantastic in the King George and galloped them rigid that day, while the testing ground beat him in the Gold Cup. He just got outstayed by Native River who loved those conditions and poor old Might Bite didn't."

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Now 12, Might Bite ran with credit when third in last year's Denman Chase at Newbury behind old rival Native River, but was last seen being pulled up in the Grand Sefton at Aintree in December.

Henderson said: "We tried him over the cross-country fences last season, which he loved, so I thought he'd like the National fences at Aintree, but – typical Might Bite – he went back to jumping houses in the Sefton and said, 'no way'.

"He goes out in one piece and I think everyone will remember him for his quirks, but there was no nastiness – he just had a little trick up his sleeve when he wanted."

Read more:

James Burn: I'm sticking my neck on the line – this is the best horse Nicky's ever had (Members' Club)

Might Bite: brilliant, bonkers and back for more

Insatiable Might Bite holds it together to bring home King George for Henderson

Might Bite wins the RSA by skin of his teeth after nearly blowing it

'I should have been banned for life' – Nicky Henderson opens up to Alastair Down

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