Hewick with connections© Photo Healy Racing
Galway Plate winner Hewick has been sent to America for a tilt at the American Grand National at Far Hills on October 15th, a race worth $250,000.
Trainer John 'Shark' Hanlon was on the mark at Galway yesterday with Hallowed Star and issued an update on Hewick, which was an unfortunate final fence casualty when leading in last month's Kerry National.
Hanlon says “Hewick was loaded today (Tuesday) at 2pm and is gone on to America. The owner is really enjoying him, we’re all enjoying him. Myself and Rachel and the two kids are heading to America on Sunday.
“He’s in great form and I think he came out of Listowel in better form than he went into it. He’s a tough little horse and enjoys life. He won’t mind travelling.”
He added “the plan I have in the back of my head after America is that he’ll go out and won’t come in until Christmas. I think I’ll go straight to Cheltenham with him. He’s a horse that is good fresh and doesn’t take a lot of training. He nearly keeps himself fit walking around the stable. He don’t need a lot of galloping.
“He’ll go back to the chap that owns him (T.J. McDonald) in Naas. He always does a great job on him and I’m hoping that he will be a Gold Cup horse.”
Hewick, the winner of seven races, had previously won the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown in April.
