Shark Hanlon targets more US success following 'unreal' overseas interest

Shark Hanlon’s phone has not stopped ringing since Hewick’s success in the US Grand National and he has revealed further plans to make a name for himself across the Atlantic.

Hewick, who was purchased for €850, landed the Grade 1 event at Far Hills in October, and since then Hanlon said he has been contacted by many US owners.

Hanlon said: "Since he won, the business that I’m getting from the US is unreal. In December, we registered 22 new owners and 17 of them are from the US.

"I’ve bought horses off the Flat, rated in the 80s and 90s, and that’ll make them very competitive over in America.

"I’ve picked out four different meetings next year over there that I’ll go to. I don’t mind travelling – have horse, will travel."

Hewick is 25-1 with most firms for the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March and Hanlon is apprehensive about running his stable star between now and then, but does have big plans in the aftermath which include the Randox Grand National in April.

Shark Hanlon with son Paddy onboard stable star Hewick, who will look to conquer the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Aintree Grand National in the coming weeksCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

He said: "Hewick will go for the Gold Cup. He’ll get a run in that and then we’ll go for the Grand National. I don’t know if he’ll be good enough for the Gold Cup but we’ll see.

"We know he’ll stay the trip at Aintree. It would probably be ideal for him as he wants good ground. Look at the ground we have, you could end up pulling the tail end out of him and not having a horse for the rest of the year.

"I’d rather go straight there, take our chance and then go on to the National."

Hewick also holds an entry for the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, and Hanlon said that it could be an alternative if the ground proves unfavourable.

He said: "I put Hewick in the Stayers' but my plan is the Gold Cup. The ground is a key factor – it has to be good.

"When you come to Cheltenham, it might rain after a few days and if it does, I’ll run him in the Stayers'."

Hanlon has never had a runner in the Grand National but will hope to have two in the race this year, with recent acquisition Cape Gentleman also now representing US interests.

He added: "You’re going over hoping one of the two will do the job. Cape Gentleman might not be as classy but he’ll do a job too.

"His American owners are going to be over, they’re the same family that won it in 1923. They already have their box booked."

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