Hanlon Favouring Charlie Hall Test For Hewick

Shark Hanlon is "95 percent sure" Hewick will head to Wetherby on Saturday for the bet365 Chase.


The bet365 Gold Cup, American Grand National, Galway Plate and King George VI Chase hero made a triumphant go back to action over obstacles at Thurles earlier this month, when ridden by the trainer's child Paddy Hanlon, and is set to return to the larger challenges this weekend.


Hewick is likewise gone into in the Grade One BetVictor Champion Chase at Down Royal on Saturday, a race in which he finished a close second last season, but the possibility of drier ground in West Yorkshire indicates Hanlon is currently favouring a journey throughout the Irish Sea.


"It's not set in stone yet, however I'm 95 percent sure we'll go to the Charlie Hall," he said.


"There's rain entering into Down Royal and they have actually been watering for the last two weeks. We might wind up with yielding to soft ground and if that occurred we 'd absolutely go the other method.


"A few days ago in Thurles he was really good and Paddy was good on him. We have not chosen who will ride him this weekend yet, maybe simply returning over fences we may put Gavin (Sheehan) back on him, we'll see.


Hewick after success at Thurles (Thomas Weekes/PA)


"It's a likelihood for him to win another nice pot on Saturday. There's a couple of good horses in the Down Royal race and a few good horses in Wetherby, but isn't he entitled to take his possibility no matter where we go?"


Hewick ended up a praiseworthy eighth in the Grand National last season and while another crack at the world's most well-known steeplechase is not being dismissed, his trainer is eyeing up another significant prize in the spring.


Hanlon included: "Down the roadway I 'd be thinking about the Stayers' Hurdle - I think he could be a best horse for a Stayers' Hurdle this year."


Hewick was one of 10 horses got in for the Charlie Hall Chase on Monday, with Gordon Elliott's pair of Croke Park and Stellar Story the two other Irish-trained contenders.


The home group includes Patrick Neville's defending champ The Real Whacker, Dan Skelton's triple Grade One winner Protektorat and Pic D'orhy, who could bid to supply Paul Nicholls with his sixth victory in the race following the previous successes of See More Business (1999 and 2000), Silviniaco Conti (2011 ), Cyrname (2020) and Bravemansgame (2022 ).


Djelo (Venetia Williams), Ga Law (Jamie Snowden), Hang In There (Emma Lavelle) and Sam Brown (Anthony Honeyball) are the other hopefuls.