John 'Shark' Hanlon shrugged off the handicapper’s decision to make Hewick the joint-top weight for the Randox Grand National, as his bargain €850 purchase bids to make horseracing history.
The County Carlow handler plans to run Hewick in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup on March 17th, before sending him to Aintree for the world’s greatest steeplechase on April 15th.
But in order to join 1934 winner Golden Miller as the only horse to triumph in both races in the same season, the eight year old must overcome top weight of 11st 12lbs after being rated 167.
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Hewick was in contention to win last year’s Kerry National when also given top weight, but unseated at the final fence.
Hewick already has a ‘National’ win to his name, having taken the US version at Far Hills, New Jersey, in October. Battleship is the only horse in history to win both the American and Aintree Grand Nationals. Successful in the American version in 1934, he won at Aintree four years later (1938) under 17 year old jockey Bruce Hobbs.
And Hanlon is philosophical about the task ahead. He said: “Hewick has a big weight, but he’s used to carrying a big weight. What can we do? There isn’t anything we can do about it. When they’re good they get those weights and that’s it.
“He gave a stone-and-a-half to everything in Listowel that was going to beat him so I don’t see why we wouldn’t go again.”
And while Hanlon and connections are dreaming of success with Hewick he has a second chance at a fairytale result with Cape Gentleman.
Just getting the 2020 Irish Cesarewitch winner into the race is a historical landmark, as his owners’ family won the Grand National exactly 100 years ago.
Cape Gentleman was successful in Graded company over both hurdles and fences for his previous trainer Emmet Mullins and made his debut for Hanlon when finishing down the field in a handicap hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas.
The seven year old is now owned by Pierre Manigault, whose great-grandfather, Stephen Sanford won the Grand National with 13 year old Sergeant Murphy in 1923.
After learning his weight – 10st 8lbs - for the April 15th race at Aintree, Hanlon added: “That’s lovely, I’m very happy with that. I’m delighted with that weight – he’ll think he is loose. I’d say they’ll both run.”
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