BoyleSports pledge to donate €100,000 if Shark Hanlon's stable star Hewick wins Cheltenham Gold Cup

BoyleSports have pledged to donate €100,000 (£85,000) to the Injured Jockeys Fund if the Shark Hanlon-trained Hewick wins the Cheltenham Gold Cup on March 15.

They have combined with Hanlon as official stable partner to his Bagenalstown yard as he prepares his stable star to take on reigning champion Galopin Des Champs in the Boodles-sponsored Gold Cup. 

One of the most popular horses in training, Hewick added the greatest triumph to his glittering CV over Christmas when landing the King George at Kempton, under Gavin Sheehan, denying Bravemansgame and Allaho.

Having already landed a Galway Plate, American Grand National and a bet365 Gold Cup before his victory at Kempton, the nine-year-old, who cost just €850 (£726), at the Goresbridge Sales in 2017, has now surpassed €717,000 (£613,000) in prize-money and a Gold Cup triumph would add another €411,000 (£351,000) to the total.

Hewick was last seen winning the King George VI ChaseCredit: Alan Crowhurst

He was running a gallant race in last year's Gold Cup before falling at the penultimate fence and is a general 14-1 shot for this year's contest, with last year's rider Jordan Gainford back in contention for the mount after he returned from injury at Fairyhouse on Saturday.

The partnership will see the bookmaker document Hewick's journey to Cheltenham and beyond and, to mark the 100th year of the Gold Cup, BoyleSports have agreed to donate €100,000 to charity should the TJ McDonald-owned chaser gain his most extraordinary success. The donation would be split between the Irish Injured Jockeys (IIJ) and the Injured Jockeys Fund (IJF) in Britain.

Hanlon said: “Hewick is in great form and we can’t wait for our tilt at the Cheltenham Gold Cup. BoyleSports, a family-owned brand, is a great match for a stable like ours and we’re delighted to have them on board as the excitement builds towards what we hope will be a memorable Cheltenham Festival and beyond.”

Sharon McHugh, head of communications and sponsorship at BoyleSports, said: “In Shark Hanlon we are teaming up with one of racing’s great characters and it is a privilege to reward customers with exclusive access as one of his stable stars gets ready for the biggest stage.

"Hewick’s rags-to-riches story has set him apart as the people’s horse, so we won’t be alone in cheering him on the road to Cheltenham glory, and hopefully there is another chapter to be written in his incredible story.”

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