Guinness-drinking horse goes from the pub to bidding for Grand National glory

The King George VI Chase, Galway Plate and American Grand National feature on Hewick’s CV and the popular ten-year-old bids for Aintree glory in the Randox Grand National on Saturday. Here we reflect on his remarkable backstory . . .

The price tag

There is a figure that is often referred to when Hewick’s rags-to-riches tale is told. It is €850.

That is how much Rachel O’Neill, Hanlon’s partner and longtime head lass, paid for Hewick as an unraced two-year-old at the Goresbridge October horses-in-training sale in 2017.

Hewick is far from the only notable bargain buy for Hanlon, who paid £600 for Skyace at the Tattersalls Ascot November sale in 2019 after three placed efforts in bumpers for Willie Mullins. She went on to win a Grade 1 novice hurdle at Fairyhouse for Hanlon two years later.

The early stages

Hewick was not an instant hit on the track. He unseated his rider or fell on his first three starts in Irish point-to-points and did not win over hurdles until his 12th attempt.

The diminutive son of Virtual, who races in the colours of T J McDonald, gained back-to-back handicap hurdle wins at Kilbeggan and Navan in just over two weeks in September 2020 and ended the campaign with a neck second in a rated novice hurdle at Kilbeggan in April 2021.

Hewick: small in size but big in heartCredit: Lorraine O'Sullivan

Hewick went over fences that summer and started to come into his own. His eight runs between June and October mixed chases and hurdles and yielded three wins, including the Durham National at Sedgefield.

A memorable year includes pub visit

Hanlon’s talented chaser returned from a break with a below-par display but bounced back with a career-best performance on better ground to land the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown in April 2022 by eight lengths under Jordan Gainford.

Hewick added another prestigious handicap chase to his CV when landing the Galway Plate under the same rider in July that summer.

He had every chance at the last when unseating Gainford in the Kerry National and then embarked on a trip to the US. He returned a Grand National winner, having won the American equivalent – a hurdle race – by 11 and a half lengths.

Hewick’s fame rose further when the popular chaser went viral after Hanlon celebrated his US success by taking the chaser to a local pub – The Pint Depot in County Carlow.

In a video posted on X, Hanlon is seen to guide Hanlon through the pub doors before asking for a pint for his equine star, who took a quick sip of Guinness.

A Christmas treat at Kempton

Hewick was sent off a 40-1 shot in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March 2023 and was in the process of outrunning his odds when falling heavily at the second-last.

Another Sandown success was earned in the bet365 Oaksey Chase the following month – this time ridden by Rachael Blackmore – and the record-breaking jockey finished fourth on Hewick in the French Champion Hurdle at Auteuil in May.

Hewick: pounced late to win the King George VI Chase in 2023Credit: Alan Crowhurst

Hewick was given a break after a no-show in the Galway Plate that summer and arrived fresh to the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day. Sent off a 12-1 chance, Gavin Sheehan’s mount was outpaced at halfway and had an awful lot of ground to make up leaving the back straight.

Shishkin was starting to assert when unseating his rider just after two out and the door was ajar for a late closer. Hewick took advantage and powered home to excellent effect to deny Bravemansgame and Allaho to seal an unlikely success.

All roads lead to Aintree

Hewick continued to perform creditably at the top level last year, finishing third in the Punchestown Gold Cup and second in the French Champion Hurdle.

The ten-year-old filled the runner-up spot behind Envoi Allen in Down Royal’s Champion Chase in November and was only beaten just over 12 lengths by Galopin Des Champs in the Irish Gold Cup in February. He teed up his tilt at the National with a five-length success under the trainer’s son Paddy in a hurdle at Thurles last month.

Hewick has his fair share of weight in the £1 million race at Aintree, carrying 11st 7lb, and will be reunited with Gavin Sheehan for the first time since their King George VI Chase success. If that race taught us anything, though, it was dismiss Hewick at your peril.

Randox Grand National (4.00 Aintree, Saturday)
Paddy Power: 7 Iroko, 8 Stumptown, 9 Hewick, 10 I Am Maximus, Intense Raffles, Vanillier, 12 Perceval Legallois, 14 Minella Cocooner, 20 Hyland, Kandoo Kid, Meetingofthewaters, 25 bar 

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