Native River repels Might Bite to win Cheltenham Gold Cup

The duel on the front between Native River and Might Bite in Friday’s Grade 1 Cheltenham Gold Cup turned into a private race in the historic steeplechase in the west of England.

Native River, ridden by leading jump jockey Richard Johnson, led throughout the $871,575 race at 3 5/16 miles to win by 4 1/2 lengths. In the final half-mile, through the last three of 22 fences, Might Bite, the 4-1 favorite, looked to have the advantage from a stalking position but could never get by the leader. The two jumped the last fence together before 5-1 Native River gained a final advantage.

The other 13 horses in the field never troubled the first two.

Anibale Fly, a 33-1 outsider, finished third, four lengths behind Might Bite, in this country’s most prestigious weight-for-age race for jumpers.

Johnson, the leading steeplechase jockey in England for the last three seasons, said Native River gave him a confident feel throughout the race and particularly in the final mile.

“The more I asked, the better he jumped,” Johnson said. “From four out, he picked it up. At the last two, he was very brave. He’s just a warrior.”

The race was run on a turf course rated soft and heavy in places that was expected to suit Native River, an 8-year-old Irish-bred gelding by Indian River who races for Brocade Racing and trainer Colin Tizzard. This was the first Gold Cup win for the owners and trainer. Johnson has won two Gold Cups, beginning with the 2000 running with Looks Like Trouble.

The condition of the turf course was not ideal for Might Bite, who won the Grade 1 King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on Dec. 26 to establish his status as the Gold Cup favorite. Might Bite won the Grade 1 RSA Novices’ Chase here in 2017 despite nearly veering off the track after the last fence. He showed no such tendencies on Friday while always racing within a length or two of Native River.

“He put his head down and fought the whole way,” trainer Nicky Henderson said. “It was the right thing to do to take him on. None of the others got close.”

Henderson feared the turf course had taken its toll after he watched Might Bite jump the final fence.

“His legs were gone,” he said. “You have to work that much harder. It was a tough steeplechase.”

Native River has won 11 of 21 starts. Third in the 2017 Cheltenham Gold Cup, Native River won the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury Racecourse and the Welsh National at Chepstow Racecourse in his final starts of 2016.

Native River had one start in the current season before Friday, a win in the Grade 2 Denman Chase at Newbury on Feb. 10 against two rivals. On Friday, he was troubled by one horse in the Gold Cup and was alone at the finish.