The £850 miracle buy Hewick looks to lineup in the Stayers’ Hurdle to give the Hanlon family another dream result. The Virtual gelding has been masterfully trained by the yard to conjure up £576,125 in prize money.
Hewick got off the mark at the twelfth time of asking under rules at Kilbeggan in 2021. He backed that up next time out at Navan, and made a successful chase debut the following year as Clonmel.
He had already repaid connections’ fee, but no one could’ve foreseen him landing the valuable 90k prize of the Bet365 Gold Cup. Hewick wasn’t finished there, as two races later he took the 136k Galway Plate before the 111k American Grand National. He had amassed an impressive 337k in just six months.
After bouncing back from Gold Cup despair in the Grade 2 Oaksey Chase, Hewick added to his international voyage with a fourth in an Auteuil Grade One back over hurdles.
The story continued, as he came from the clouds to win a dramatic King George at Kempton two years ago. To climb through the ranks as Hewick has is nothing short of miraculous.
“He’s come back stronger” – Hanlon
Speaking to the Press Asscoiation via Racing TV, Hanlon said: “I’d love to have a winner at Cheltenham, it’s my dream.
“The Stayers’ is the ideal route for him. It’s the right trip and Paddy can ride him which is a bonus. The two of them get on great and we’re not going to change that bond.”
Paddy Hanlon rode his first winner under rules for his father on Chef D’Etat in a Worcester bumper in 2023. Hewick’s progress has halted, but Shark Hanlon is still very much retaining the faith.
“I’m very happy with him and he’s not been seen since November but the ground has been so bad. I gave him a break after Newbury and he’s come back stronger and I’m very happy with him.
“We always thought he was good over his hurdles. It was just when he went chasing he was so good at it.”
He may be an 11-year-old, but that didn’t prevent Sire Du Berlais winning it in in 2023.
If Hewick can rediscover his best form to win the Stayers’ Hurdle, it would be another wonderful moment in a story that’s captured the imagination of the racing world with Hanlon’s son Paddy doing the steering.