Here at BoyleSports, we are the Official Stable Partner of John ‘Shark’ Hanlon who has revealed the ground conditions Hewick will need to challenge for the Cheltenham Gold Cup in an exclusive interview.
Hanlon was candid in his assessment of Hewick’s chances against the other top Cheltenham Gold Cup contenders.
He also takes us through the captivating journey of Hewick (and how he ended up with his name after a hilarious blunder) from an £800 purchase to a King George Chase champion, the role that jockey Jordan Gainford has played in Hewick’s rise to stardom plus more fascinating insights.
Cheltenham Gold Cup Trip Is Right Up Hewick’s Alley
There will be plenty of pace in the race. The Real Whacker will be up there to make the running, Shiskin too. Hopefully, we can lay up. Hewick won’t mind the trip, it is right up his alley.
Galopin Des Champs will take a lot of beating. He is a very good horse. But we have to take him on. To be the best you have got to beat the best.
I think Mouse Morris’s horse Gentlemansgame could be the big danger. It is going to take some winning this year. It is a higher-class race than last year.
Hewick is great and he has all his work done. He jumped and worked the other day. He will have one day of work over the weekend, then he will finish. We are coming over on Monday morning on the ferry with the horse.
*Hewick is 14/1 to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup per the latest Cheltenham odds at BoyleSports.
He fell last year, he came off and on the bridle and we got beat. Please God we can get a good tune out of him this year.
Hewick Won’t Run In Cheltenham Gold Cup Without Good Ground
The most important thing is the rain stops and we get good ground. If we don’t get good ground we are not going to run the horse.
That would be heartbreaking because we are going to a Gold Cup with a real chance.
We want the sun to come out, the breeze to blow and we want good ground on the day.
*BoyleSports has pledged to donate €100,000 to charity if Hewick wins the 2024 Cheltenham Gold Cup .
The Hewick Fairytale
I bought Hewick for £800 as a two-year-old. We got him going as a three-year-old then everything went wrong with him as a four-year-old. We gave him some time off and brought him back and when he got stronger he started to win.
It is great to have a horse like him in the yard. PJ McDonald, his owner, has been with me for years. We are so lucky to have him on board.
We are having an amazing ride with him. He’s been everywhere and is winning. He is a great story for racing. People love it and they love the craic.
It is getting harder to find one like him - that is the way it is. There's not a lot I can do about it because we do not have the power to buy the big horses.
We have to deal with what we have and try to make the most of that.
He Was Supposed To Be Called Hawick!
He came from a jockey from Hawick in Scotland. The horse was supposed to be called Hawick after the town. We sent the name up to HRI and it came back wrong. It came back spelt Hewick. I wouldn’t be changing the name though, that would have been bad luck.
What Hewick’s King George Win Meant
He has taken us all over the world. We were in France, went to America and will go back, maybe go to Australia later in the year.
For us to have a horse to win the King George was a big, big day, for me, my family and for all the staff in the yard. And also for Ireland. It gave the whole of Ireland a lift. I wouldn’t say that it has been life changing but it has been a big help.
Grand National Run On The Horizon For Hewick
The Gold Cup though would be life changing and we will go for the Grand National after that. We just have to keep our fingers crossed. To win a Gold Cup which we all grow up dreaming about would be utterly amazing for a small yard like me.
*Hewick is 33/1 to win the Grand National this April at Aintree according to the latest Grand National odds at BoyleSports.
Jockey Jordan Gainford Made Hewick What He Is
Jordan made the horse what he is. Gavin gave the horse a great ride at Kempton in the King George and when I rang and told him I was reverting to Jordan Gavin was very good about it. He was a proper gentleman and I appreciated how he reacted on social media.
Trust and loyalty goes both ways. I can assure you Gavin will ride more winners for me in the future.
*Prices subject to fluctuation.
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