Hewick Punchestown Gold Cup Odds - Hanlon's Star Ready For Festival Feature

In this post, we take a look at Hewick Punchestown Gold Cup odds and preview his chances as the King George winner bids for glory in the festival’s flagship race.

Hewick Punchestown Gold Cup Odds

The Shark Hanlon-trained Hewick is 14/1 with BoyleSports to add a Punchestown Gold Cup to an illustrious CV that includes a King George, Galway Plate and an American Grand National.

The pint-sized nine-year-old will be making his first start over fences since conquering Kempton at Christmas, having reverted to the Liverpool Hurdle from the Aintree Bowl at the Grand National Festival owing to unsuitable ground.

Despite a dry week, the weather remains unsettled for the weekend and the opening days of the Punchestown Festival as the Bagenalstown-based handler remains on weather watch.

Shark Hanlon Rates Hewick’s Chances at Punchestown

“It was disappointing missing out on the Bowl at Aintree but the weather hasn’t been kind to us for months. We missed the Cheltenham Gold Cup as well due to the ground, it’s been frustrating.

“He’s in brilliant form at home and we can’t wait to bring him to Punchestown. He’s beaten plenty of these horses before and if the ground comes up good, we’ll be full of confidence. He came out of the Liverpool Hurdle really well and we’re expecting a big run.”

Punchestown Gold Cup Betting

Irish and Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs has been installed as the 8/11 favourite for the festival feature as he bids to emulate Sizing John in winning three Gold Cups in a season.

Willie Mullins’ star stayer failed to complete the feat last year and resumes rivalry with his old foe Fastorslow (5/2) in this year’s renewal of the race. But a dominant victory at the Cheltenham Festival, a win in the Irish Gold Cup in February and an emphatic success in the Savills Chase at Christmas has seen the eight-year-old forming a significant part of ante-post accumulators. This has led to a major liability forming for bookies even at this early stage as Willie Mullins looks to end a phenomenal season on a high.

The form of the Aintree Bowl could also be put to the test with winner Gerri Colombe (5/1), second Ahoy Senor (14/1) and fourth Shishkin (10/1) all among the entries. Corach Rambler (16/1) meanwhile may take his chance after unseating at the first when bidding for back-to-back Grand Nationals, with this year’s National winner I Am Maximus (20/1) also featuring in the list of 22 hopefuls.

“The entries for the Punchestown Gold Cup already have us dreaming that it could be the race of the season. With Grade 1 winners and Grand National winners aplenty it could be a blockbuster and while we’d love to see Galopin Des Champs score the Gold Cup treble, we’ll be roaring Hewick home!”

*Prices are subject to fluctuation.

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