Hewick prepares for a well-deserved rest following his impressive performance in the Galway Plate
Shark Hanlon Takes Time to Reflect on Hewick’s Galway Plate Performance
In the aftermath of Wednesday’s Tote Galway Plate, Shark Hanlon remains calm and composed as he contemplates the next steps for his horse, Hewick. Unfortunately, Hewick failed to impress under a heavy weight and finished towards the back of the field in the prestigious Ballybrit feature race.
Hoping for a consecutive victory in this renowned event, Hewick started off strong but gradually lost momentum, eventually finishing 14th out of 20 competitors. However, Hanlon attributes his star runner’s lackluster performance to the rain-softened ground. As a result, he plans to give Hewick a well-deserved break before reintroducing him to competitive action later in the year.
“He came out of it perfectly fine; it was just that the ground was softer than ideal for him,” reveals Hanlon from Bagenalstown. “Despite having significant weight on his back, you can still perform well on good ground. Unfortunately, soft ground doesn’t allow you that luxury.”
Hewick showed great promise throughout most of the race until they descended down the hill where conditions worsened due to softened terrain. Last year’s triumph at Galway Plate led many to believe that another major handicap win awaited him at Listowel’s Kerry National; however, fate took an unexpected turn when he unseated his jockey at the final fence.
The talented gelding also made headlines by clinching glory in America’s Grand National event and showing immense potential in Cheltenham Gold Cup before falling two fences from home. Despite these setbacks along uncertain routes, Hanlon expresses eagerness to return once more to Prestbury Park come March for yet another shot at racing’s ultimate prize – The Gold Cup.
While the specific path remains undecided, Hanlon suggests a potential return to America and a run at Leopardstown over Christmas as part of Hewick’s future plans. For now, however, he emphasizes the importance of allowing his star horse some much-needed rest.
“I don’t think we’ll head to Listowel this year as it would mean giving away considerable weight again. Maybe another trip to America is on the cards, but we will assess our options,” Hanlon muses. “Our main focus is on preparing for the Gold Cup. We might consider Leopardstown during Christmas as well.”
Concluding on a positive note, Hanlon mentions that Hewick has returned to his owner for a couple of weeks before further decisions are made about his racing calendar.