From €850 buy to King George winner: Hewick retired after bringing Shark Hanlon and his family 'a lifetime of memories'

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Those closest to "dream horse" Hewick have paid tribute to the 11-year-old following the announcement of his retirement after finishing third over hurdles at Cork on Friday night.

The 12-time winner amassed more than £790,000 in prize-money, but it was the 2023 King George VI Chase for which he will be remembered most fondly, when he produced a late storming run under Gavin Sheehan to score at odds of 12-1.

That was the first time Sheehan had ever ridden the Shark Hanlon-trained fan-favourite who was famously bought for just €850 at a Goresbridge sale back in 2017.

“He’s become a household name and I was lucky to be aboard for one of his biggest wins,” Sheehan said. “He didn’t know what price he was and even though he probably wasn’t the prettiest, he had the will to win, and if you get that inside a horse, you’ll pay anything for it.

“He provided me with the biggest win of my career, so I’ll be forever grateful to him.”

• A horse walks into a bar . . . Hewick receives hero's welcome - in the pub

That Grade 1 success followed other notable victories, including the Oaksey Chase and bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown, while he also enjoyed international success when landing the American Grand National in October 2022. 

His victory in America saw him named the 2022 Eclipse Award winner, effectively the jumps horse of the year in the States, the first and only Irish-trained horse to do so. 

Closer to home, his most memorable success in Ireland came when he won the Galway Plate in July 2022.

Owner T.J. McDonald with Hewick and Jordan Gainford after winning the Galway Plate in 2022Credit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Hewick ran in the colours of T.J. McDonald throughout his career, and is now set to spend his retirement under the care of his longtime owner when leaving his stable at Hanlon’s yard in Bagenalstown for the final time.

“He was a dream horse,” Hanlon said. “Everybody enjoyed him. Those who don’t know anything about racing and those who know everything – they all got a kick out of him.

“He was a huge part of our lives and he brought us days you can only dream of. My son Paddy is 18 and Hewick is 11, so the two of them grew up together.

“Would you believe the biggest day of my life was in Dingle when Paddy won the Dingle Derby. We have a picture of us with the American Grand National trophy, the bet365 trophy and Paddy with his Dingle Derby trophy. Will that ever happen again in history?"

Hanlon continued: “I suppose my heartbreak memory is when he won the Galway Plate because that was the last day my father ever went racing.

“So he brought us a lifetime of memories, but the job now is to try and replace him. I don’t think we’ll ever get another one like him. It will be very hard, but please god we’ll pick up one to go again.”

Hanlon has plans to hold a retirement day for Hewick at the end of August, in which everybody is welcome to give the pint-sized "people’s horse" his deserved send-off.

“It’s amazing,” he said on Saturday. “I said it on the TV last night and I’ve already had ten phone calls from England asking when it will be on, that they’re going to come over. It shows the effect he had on people.”

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