Hewick makes winning seasonal reappearance Prolific winner Hewick (8/15f) made a successful seasonal return in Thurles’ www.thurlesraces.ie Hurdle today, with trainer Shark Hanlon now eyeing a return to big-race targets with the popular chaser. Successful in the Galway Plate and American Grand National in 2022 and the following year’s King George, the 10-year-old today returned following a five month’s break under the trainer’s son jockey Paddy Hanlon. Racing against two inferior-rated rivals, Hewick made all and jumped well to comfortably beat Moon D’Orange by 4.75 lengths. Run For Oscar was held when blundering Philip Byrnes out of the saddle at the last. It was Hewick's 12th career success, bringing career earnings to over €890,000, and Hanlon said "Paddy said he took a good blow at the top of the hill but I knew he would, as he is only back in training seven weeks. He got one blow in the Curragh and my own new gallop at home is very good, but he said he'll improve a lot from it. He is a dream horse and he loves it.  "I'd like to see Paddy staying on him for the year but T J (McDonald) might have different ideas. We'll see but I think the two of them have a bond and when a horse has a bond with a jockey, I'd love to keep it together. That's up to T J though. "He has the Betvictor Champion Chase in Down Royal or the Charlie Hall in Wetherby next but it depends on the ground. Today's race will put him spot on and we're going wherever there is goodish ground. "I know he is a 10 year old but I feel he is better and stronger this year and he has put a backside to himself now." He added "he was beaten only 18 lengths in the Grand National and while I wondered whether he stayed the distance, hitting the third-last knocked the stuffing out of him.  "Every race is an aim but why not try the Grand National again. "He is a great people's horse and I met so many who were here to see Hewick today."
