‘He looks unreal’ – Trainer thinks his 25-1 horse has a huge chance at Cheltenham 🤞

Shark Hanlon isn’t the most prolific of trainers but he certainly knows how to train a horse when given an opportunity. He will he hopeful that current 25-1 chance Hewick will run a huge race in the Gold Cup at the Cheltenham Festival.

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Pure confidence

Hanlon stated: “He looks unreal. He went off to TJ’s [McDonald, owner] place after he won in America and spent a few months with him. He was let out every day and looked after brilliantly over there. He came back to the yard here before Christmas and I have never seen him looking better. He looks a million dollars. He has got stronger.

“Am I mad to think he has got a massive chance of winning a Gold Cup? If he gets good ground, I think he’s got every chance. We will give him a couple of bits of work from now until March, but I’m not going to run him beforehand. I want to go straight there and hopefully the ground will have dried out nicely by the Friday.”

Hanlon isn’t afraid of the challengers

“I think Hewick is definitely up to their level. I’ve no doubt about it. Bravemansgame was good, but I personally think he needs cut in the ground to be at his best and Conflated does too. If the ground is good on the Friday of Cheltenham, I’ll be disappointed if we don’t finish in front of those two.

“My horse is young, he’s improving and relishes good ground. The one horse I would definitely fear is Galopin Des Champs. Like my own horse, he’s young and could have more to offer, but will he handle good ground as well as Hewick? I’m not sure he will.”

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