The Cheltenham winner’s enclosure has staged many famous celebrations over the years. But there may be scenes like nothing witnessed before if Hewick can complete his remarkable rags-to-riches story by claiming the sport’s ultimate prize.
Seven years ago genial trainer John ‘Shark’ Hanlon, whose larger than life personality is matched by his formidable frame, made the best business decision of his life when leaving the nearby Goresbridge sales ring with an unraced two-year-old for a paltry €850. The rest, as they say, is history.
“The whole story from the start is brilliant, as he only came from down the road. You could travel the whole world to get a horse like him and I got him five minutes down the road,” said Hanlon.
“There are plenty of quality horses slip through the net at the sales and there’s plenty of quality horses go through Goresbridge.
“I know it’s only five minutes down the road, but I would never miss it – you never know where your next bargain is and I like bargains!”
Hewick is no oil painting to look at. Unlike his trainer he cuts a fairly diminutive figure when compared to the jet black reigning Gold Cup hero Galopin Des Champs for instance. But what Hewick can do is gallop hard and fast – and for a long way.
The nine-year-old failed to complete in each of his three starts in the amateur point-to-point sphere, a fairly inauspicious start to say the least, and while he won four times from 21 attempts over hurdles not even Hanlon himself could have anticipated his subsequent meteoric rise.
As if plundering one major handicap in the form of the 2022 bet365 Gold Cup was not enough, he went on to land the Galway Plate and the American Grand National at Far Hills, where the locals probably did not know what had hit them when ‘The Shark’ rolled into town. A bigger boat, indeed.
On their return to Ireland both horse and trainer popped into the local pub for a pint of Guinness – as you do – making headlines both good and bad, although it was all good fun. And he is clearly a hugely popular horse, in an area where Willie Mullins is king.
“Any race we’ve put to him, he’s always there and never let us down,” Hanlon added.
“To have such a consistent horse like him makes such a difference to the yard, there’s a buzz everywhere.
“I was in Bagenalstown there the other day and they were all wishing me well and they’ve got Willie over the road, but they are talking to me, so that’s great.”
After living the American dream Hewick was readied for his first tilt at Gold Cup glory last March. He was running a fine race, too, albeit probably booked for minor honours, when tipping up two fences from home.
Far from that being the final chapter in this extraordinary tale, Hanlon’s pride and joy has only enhanced his reputation since, bouncing back from his Prestbury Park spill with a Grade Two victory at Sandown before finishing an honourable fourth in the French Champion Hurdle.
Hewick’s defence of the Galway Plate during the summer was a little underwhelming, but yet again he roared back over the Christmas period, coming from the clouds to win a thrilling renewal of the King George VI Chase at Kempton, another big-race triumph that was thoroughly enjoyed by his trainer.
He said: “It was absolutely brilliant to win a King George. I knew before leaving here that there was going to be serious pace as there were six runners in it and five were front runners. I remember saying to Gavin (Sheehan) that going down the back he could be 10 lengths off them but not to stop riding him, keep going because your last two furlongs are going to be your best in the race.
“Frodon for the last five years has gone out at 100 miles per hour and I was delighted to see Paul Townend go out and take him on (aboard Allaho). When that was happening they were going too hard.
“We’ve made the running in the Gold Cup last year and in a Galway Plate and he couldn’t lie up with them – that is how hard they were going.”
With connections immediately deciding to give Hewick another break following his King George heroics, he will return to the Cotswolds fresh and seemingly in peak condition as he goes for gold once more.
Just as was the case at Kempton, Hanlon is hopeful that granted suitable conditions no horse will be coming home stronger than Hewick.
“I’ve never seen a Gold Cup yet where there isn’t plenty of pace and the extra two furlongs will be a big, big help for us,” he said.
“He’s not a big horse and he’s easy enough to get fit. After Kempton he had two or three weeks off and he’s back there working now.
“He ran well in the race last year and there is no reason why he won’t run well again in it this year.
“Hopefully this year, with a clear round of jumping, he won’t be too far away.”
If Hewick does come up the famous hill in front, bars across Cheltenham and beyond should ready themselves for a Shark attack so fierce even Jaws would be quaking in his boots.
Light seeking to shine again at Sandown
Kitty’s Light is taking aim at his usual season finisher in the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown.
The gelding has been a star for trainer Christian Williams, winning big handicap events like the Eider Chase and the Scottish Grand National and going close in the Charlie Hall and the Coral Trophy.
He has particularly good record in the bet365 Gold Cup on the final day of the season, missing out only due to interference when second in 2021 and coming home third in 2022.
Last year he was completed the set of podium finishes when winning by two and a half lengths under usual jockey Jack Tudor.
The two are well acquainted and teamed up for Kitty’s Light’s Grand National bid at Aintree earlier in the month, where he ran a valiant race to finish fifth behind four Grade-One winning Irish chasers.
Williams was incredibly proud of his stable star and is now hoping the gelding can shine again in the Sandown contest he has found to be lucrative in the past.
“It was wonderful, we trained him to win the race and we thought he could, but you couldn’t be disappointed with what he did,” Williams said of the National performance.
“We were thrilled, the horse tried his best and we were very, very proud of horse and jockey.
“He’s come out of it very well, if the race was run today even then he’d be running, he’s in good form.
“He loves it at Sandown with the big fences, his jumping has come on now but even as a five-year-old he nearly won the race.
“He was third the year after that, it really seems to suit him.
“I think he likes going right-handed, he hangs a little bit right at home and he seems to really enjoy it there.
“We’re taking our chance anyway, he seems well and we’ll hope for the best.”
Olivier Peslier announces imminent retirement
Olivier Peslier will retire from riding at La Teste on Thursday.
The 51-year-old has enjoyed an exemplary career in the saddle, being crowned French champion on four occasions and claiming a string of big-race successes across the world.
Peslier counts four victories in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on his CV, as well as Derby success aboard High-Rise in 1998 and a 2000 Guineas triumph with Cockney Rebel in 2007.
He enjoyed a long association with star miler Goldikova, riding the mare to win 17 of her 27 career starts which included a famous Breeders’ Cup Mile hat-trick in 2008, 2009 and 2010.
Peslier also chalked up two Japan Cup wins and victories the Hong Kong Cup, Mile and Vase plus big-races successes in the likes of Germany, Italy, Ireland and Dubai during a truly international career.
He was retained rider for owners Alain and Gerard Wertheimer between 2003 and 2014 with the aforementioned Goldikova and 2012 Arc winner Solemia two of the headline acts of their lengthy relationship.
Peslier will sign off after two rides at La Teste in the south-west of France, bowing out with over 3,700 wins to his name.
“My health is fine, but you need the horses and need the practice and if you don’t have so many horses, it is the time to decide to stop because it is very tricky to ride only a few horses,” Peslier told the PA news agency.
“After a very long career I have had plenty of success. I have had more than 3,700 winners and over 500 Group race wins. I have won with both Arabians and thoroughbreds and 165 Group Ones, so it is amazing when I look at my career.
“I have won everywhere in the world and had great success and great moments. I’ve met so many good people and I’m very happy to stop my career and watch what has happened before.
“I won all the good races in England – the Epsom Derby, the King George and at Royal Ascot. In Japan, I won 12 Group Ones and won the Japan Cup and all the big races over there and also the Breeders’ Cup and all the Derbies in Europe.
“So now is the time and I’m in good form and everything is fine. It’s sad to take the decision but this morning I rode six horses and tomorrow I will ride some horses in training and for sure I will keep riding some horses because everybody loves horses and also I ride for my passion.”
Peslier is unsure what the future holds, intending to spend the summer months enjoying time with family and friends before finalising plans for the next stage of life, while he highlighted the talents of both Goldikova and Prix du Jockey Club and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Peintre Celebre as notable memories from his decorated career.
“I will take a little break and see some friends and see what happens over the next few months,” continued Peslier.
“After a holiday, September will be a new life, and I think I need a little bit of time to see what will happen in the future. I’m going to spend some time with my kids and enjoy life, then it will be a new life.
“Normally when I go to say Hong Kong and England it is for work, now I can go and visit people I know and take the time to enjoy it.
“Goldikova won 14 Group Ones and Peintre Celebre won the French Derby and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and were both really, really good.”
Bellum Justum stakes Derby claim with Epsom victory
Bellum Justum halved in price for the Derby after Andrew Balding’s colt won the Betfred Blue Riband Trial at Epsom.
While he took four attempts to get off the mark as a juvenile, the form of his win over Kevin Ryan’s Inisherin now looks much stronger than it did at the time and he took another leap forward here.
Ridden by Oisin Murphy, he was content to take a lead off Ryan Moore on Aidan O’Brien’s Chief Little Rock and with those in behind struggling to get on terms, it soon developed into a battle.
Bellum Justum held a narrow advantage for much of the final furlong but while he was well on top of the Ballydoyle runner close home, Roger Varian’s Defiance began to stay on strongly.
Without looking like winning, he closed to within three-quarters of a length of the 9-1 winner, looking promising for the future on just his third outing.
Bellum Justum was cut to 25-1 from 50s for the Derby by both Coral and Paddy Power.
“He had a setback about a month ago and he missed 10 days, so he’s entitled to come on for that today,” Balding told Racing TV.
“His form looked pretty strong and he improved a lot with racing last year and he’s entitled to improve from two to three, so we were fairly sure he’d be there or thereabouts but we’re expecting him to come on for it.
“He’s in the Dante and if he was going to run again that would be the likely target, we’ll just see how the Guineas goes and the other trials and we might end up coming back here.
“He’s out of an Oasis Dream mare but he’s closely related to Fox Tal who stayed a mile and a half.
“He’s up there with our best three-year-olds but unfortunately the one we were really excited about, Anzac Day, has had a setback.”
Crystal Delight (5-2) made a winning debut for Harry Eustace when leading home stablemate Ziggy in the Lilley Plummer Risks City & Suburban Handicap.
Previously trained by the now-retired William Jarvis, he was sent straight to the front by Jim Crowley and controlled matters from the outset.
He kicked clear over two furlongs out and came home five and a half lengths ahead of Ziggy, who stayed on without ever looking a danger.
“William came as he’s good friends with dad (James Eustace) and we ended up with a couple off him, this one and Duke Of Verona and it’s going well so far,” said Eustace.
“I thought he’d run well as he’s been training well at home. It was a small field and he likes making the running, so I thought we’d be able to set our own fractions and that’s what Jim did, it worked out well.
“I had a mile-and-a-half handicap at York in mind so we’ll see how we go.”
Eustace had to settle for third with Duke Of Verona in the Weatherbys Global Stallions App Great Metropolitan Handicap as Champagne Piaff (5-2 favourite) ran out an easy winner for Gary and Ryan Moore.
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