Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up Might Bite receives plenty of praise from jockey Nico de Boinville

NICO DE BOINVILLE was full of praise for Might Bite after his second in the Cheltenham Gold Cup behind Native River.

Nicky Henderson’s star lost nothing in defeat and still looks to have a big future ahead of him as a staying chaser.

“It rode like a terrific race. Dickie (Richard Johnson) visibly quickened the pace going out onto the second circuit and everything went to plan,” said De Boinville.

“Everything went how I envisaged it would apart from when we just tied up after the last.

“Native River really toughed it out. We were on the same stride going to the last so we had the momentum to fly up the hill, but that ground from the last to the line was very difficult. It was the worst of the ground and we felt every bit of it.

“They are both classy animals and I’d like to think that on better ground we’d have got a lot closer, but it was a great performance from both of them.

“I was very proud of how he (Might Bite) went through the race. When you sit back and take time to reflect you realise how well he has done, but at the same time it’s gutting to come so close.

“He’s young enough to have another go but to get so close is hard to take.”