He was the horse that no one wanted. An easily forgotten performer who had achieved very little and was on the brink of retirement. Hewick was for sale and the asking price was minimal. Step forward wily Irish trainer, Shark Hanlon, who purchased the horse for a mere £800. The rest, as they say, is history.
Hewick has transformed ever since arriving at Hanlon’s stables, turning himself into a Grade 1 winner and earning over £500,000 in the process. It is a story fit for the big screen and the blockbuster viewing is not finished just yet, as the bargain basement buy heads to the Cheltenham Festival to challenge for the prestigious Gold Cup.
King George Shocker
Hewick most recently hit the headlines by winning the King George VI Chase in what was one of the most dramatic renewals of all time. Hewick, who is priced at 14/1 in the Gold Cup racing odds for 2024, came from nowhere to win, seeing off some of his potential Cheltenham rivals on the sprint to the line.
Hewick was outpaced and outclassed throughout most of the Kempton race, struggling at the back of the field as his rivals trundled along in front. As those ahead of him began to falter, Hewick dug deep into his endless stamina reserves to go from last to first in the Grade 1 contest, belying the lack of horse racing tips he had received before the race.
🚀 INCREDIBLE!!!!!
Hewick comes from the clouds in a dramatic finish G1 King George VI Chase to give @jhanlonracing & Gavin Sheehan victory in the @kemptonparkrace feature pic.twitter.com/J0UoJh6Eeu
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) December 26, 2023
Globe Trotter
Hewick and his trainer first hit the headlines by crossing the Atlantic to take on the USA’s best in the American Grand National in October 2022. He had been progressing at a rate of knots in his homeland and Britain, but it was a further test of his credentials in America’s biggest jump race.
Unknown by the majority of US racing fans, Hewick became somewhat of a cult hero due to his backstory and the exploits of his quirky trainer, and when he blitzed the field in the National, he was welcomed back as a hero by the racing world as a whole.
Gold Cup Mishap
2024 will not be the first time that Hewick will be competing in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, as twelve months ago he also lined up in the Festival’s feature race. He was sent off as a 40/1 no-hoper on that occasion but for much of the race, it looked like he was ready to shock the racing industry once again.
Leading from the front for the majority of the race, Hewick had just been passed by the eventual winner, Galopin Des Champs, before the second-last, but he began to rally under his jockey’s urgings. Unfortunately, luck was against him on this occasion, as, having hit the fence hard, he came down with a crashing fall.
For a few moments after the race, Hewick remained on the ground, but as he does when racing, he found more inner strength to rise to his feet to a standing ovation from the crowd.
FULL INTERVIEW: The Kilkenny People caught up with Shark after Hewicks win in the King George – the €850 purchase from @Goresbridgesale @KKPeopleNews https://t.co/PtxOSqwlVS
— Shark Hanlon Racing (@jhanlonracing) January 11, 2024
Hewick is the epitome of a bargain buy, particularly in horse racing where millions are banded about on potential future champions. He will look to continue his incredible rise to the top at Cheltenham in March, and with some better luck during the race, he is likely to be a big contender for victory.
