'It'll take a fair one to beat him' - Shark Hanlon bullish on Galway Plate hope

Shark Hanlon has never been one to shy away from the big occasion and believes it will take a "fair one" to beat bet365 Gold Cup winner Hewick in next week’s Galway Plate.

The trainer is readying the seven-year-old for a tilt at the €270,000 contest on Wednesday, July 27 (6.40) on his first start over fences since a dominant display on the final day of the British jump season in April.

Hewick, who is rated 6lb higher than his Sandown success, will bid to provide his trainer with his first win in one of Irish jump racing's most prestigious races.

Hanlon is no stranger to having confidence in his runners, best seen last year when describing Skyace as a "bloody certainty" before she went on to land the Mares Novice Hurdle Championship Final at Fairyhouse, supplying her trainer with his first Grade 1 success.

Hewick was bought for just €850 in 2017 and also won the Durham National last season for Hanlon, who says it would be like a "fairytale" should his stable star land another big prize next week.

Hanlon said: "You'd be a little afraid it might be too short [the trip], but he has plenty of go about him and as long as he's not taken off his feet in the first furlong or two I think he'll go there with a real chance. It would be fairytale stuff.

Shark Hanlon: 'It's a disgrace and very wrong for the small trainers'Credit: Edward Whitaker

"I think he's getting stronger and I've been very happy with him at home. He carried a lot of weight in Sandown, which was a tough race, and it didn't bother him at all, so I'm not overworried about whatever weight he'll carry. If he's there at the bottom of the hill, it'll take a fair one to beat him."

Hanlon is hoping the going will be suitable for his runner at Ballybrit next week, with the trainer concerned about tracks being overwatered for summer jumping, something he flagged on Twitter in relation to Sunday's meeting at Tipperary.

Hanlon labelled the ground conditions a "disgrace" after the official going was changed to yielding from good to yielding after the first race.

"I think it's a disgrace. It's very wrong for the small trainers who have summer horses that we're not allowed to have summer ground," he said.

"The jockeys don't want fast ground is what people are telling me. If they don't want fast ground, let them off on their holidays in May and come back in October, there's plenty of 7lb claimers who'd love the opportunity.

"This overwatering problem has to be looked into in Ireland or else they may forget about summer racing. In fairness to Galway they always have the ground safe and that's what we want."

The going at Galway is currently good with showers forecast on Tuesday with racecourse manager Michael Moloney monitoring the situation closely ahead of the start of the festival next Monday.

Moloney said: "We just have to be careful now with the rainfall coming so that we don't overdo it. It's a day by day, hour by hour process but we're in a very good position.

"If we were racing today I'd be very happy with where we're at so we just have to maintain that for the next week, but no matter what you do it's not going to be to everybody's liking."

There were 44 still in contention for the Galway Plate as the weights were released on Monday, with last year's winning trainer Willie Mullins entering five in his attempt to plunder the 2022 edition. Topweight Easy Game is unbeaten this season while El Barra is also prominent in the early betting for Mullins.

Gordon Elliott has three Plate success on his CV and is responsible for eight still left in contention, including Kilbeggan Midlands National winner Hurricane Georgie.

Joseph O'Brien, who landed Plate glory with Early Doors two years ago, has six in the prestigious handicap. His 2020 hero is in the mix again, along with Fire Attack, who joins El Barra at the top of the betting.

Tote Galway Plate (Wednesday, July 27)

Paddy Power: 7 Fire Attack, Busselton, 8 Gabynako, 10 El Barra, The Shunter, Cape Gentleman, 11 Ash Tree Meadow, 12 Hurricane Georgie, Ilikedwayurthinkin, Ronald Pump, 14 bar

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The Front Runner is our latest email newsletter available exclusively to Members' Club Ultimate subscribers. Chris Cook, a four-time Racing Reporter of the Year award winner, provides his take on the day's biggest stories and tips for the upcoming racing every morning from Monday to Friday