Kildare Racing: TJ and Hewick land American National

While Naas GAA are having incredible success at all levels including back-to-back senior football championship titles, along with four senior hurling titles on the trot, throw in wins in camogie and ladies football also making their mark it seems there is no stopping the county town racking up the honours.

That success has now transcended to racing.

And no ordinary racing at that.

In fact they don't come much greater or bigger as on Saturday evening last a horse owned by Naas native, TJ McDonald, romped home in the $250,000 American Grand National at Far Hills in New Jersey, USA.

TJ comes from a very well-known Naas family with deep GAA connections. His dad, Terry, captained Naas to their first senior football success in all of 58 years when leading them to victory over Clane back in 1990 – the day the great Mick O'Dwyer arrived for his magical spell with The Lilies.

Also a member of that great Naas team was the mighty Johnny McDonald (TJ's nephew) one of the most exciting players ever to don the blue and white of Naas and of course the all-white of Kildare.

But there is so much more to this incredible racing tale.

The horse in question, a seven-year-old now, was bought for a mere €800 by trainer John 'Shark' Hanlon who trains at Fenniscourt, Muine Bheag, Co. Carlow.

TJ McDonald purchased the horse from The Shark and to say his purchase took off is a bit of an under-

statement.

Speaking to the Naas man on Sunday afternoon as he prepared to head for the airport in New Jersey for his flight home, he said “this is absolutely amazing, incredible, my phone hasn't stopped ringing and receiving texts from the time Hewick crossed the winning line.”

Were they confident going out that Hewick would win?

“We really expected to be very close, he was very unfortunate down in Listowel last month when coming for his race in the Kerry National when he took a tumble at the last but Shark was confident he would put that behind him and he certainly did that.”

He certainly did that, winning the first prize of $160,000 by an official eleven-and-a-half lengths pulling right away in the final half furlong.

TJ admitted that they got a bit of a scare late on Friday evening when informed that the American National was now a 'no whip' race, in other words to quote TJ “it was a hands and heels job something we had never raced under before.

“It certainly disturbed my sleeping the night before the race” he said, adding “but thankfully under a great ride by jockey Jordan Gainford there was no need for the whip as the more the race went on the further away he was going.”

Hewick’s rise to prominence began just 12 months ago when he won the Durham National at Sedgefield, followed up with wins in the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown and then the Galway Plate victory really propelled him into a real serious animal.

The fact that the American National was the shortest trip Hewick had raced in certainly did not seem to affect him but with a cost of some $20,000 to enter him in the US which included traveling, a two week quarantine period and all the other various expenses it was certainly a major gamble but a gamble that has paid off handsomely.

"He traveled so well," Hanlon told reporters after the win. “Everyone was saying that the trip was too short and we were maybe wrong to come here, but this horse has an awful lot more pace than people think he has. He proved that at Galway and he definitely proved that today.”

Jockey Jordan Gainford added: “He’s a relentless horse to gallop. The second one down the back the first time, there was a bit of sun on it and he came out of my hands a little bit, but after that he was foot perfect and for it to all go to plan is just brilliant.

“Fair play to Shark” added Gainford “he always has them bang on. It’s a big group of lads here and I’m just very fortunate to get on him. My agent at home, Gary Cribbin, got me on this lad back at Listowel nearly a year and a half ago now. They could have got anyone over here to ride him but they brought me over and I really appreciate that. It’s unbelievable.”

As for the future, TJ McDonald said “once he gets back to Ireland he is coming back to my place for two months or so where he will put out to grass, then we will sit down with The Shark and discuss the future come December or thereabouts.”

Is Cheltenham on the agenda?

“Yes most definitely, the ground will have a lot to do with the decision, Howick likes decent ground, not a soft ground horse so that will be a consideration but around the time of Cheltenham there is also a huge race in Japan that has been mentioned, worth something like a million, so we will take a look at that one also” added the very happy owner.

Would he think of going back out to New Jersey?

“Absolutely, a fabulous place, super spot, a lot different than what we are used to at home; huge crowds; very relaxed; lots of families eating out of the boot of their cars; great craic, great atmosphere, really simply amazing and an incredible experience” added the extremely likeable McDonald.

Another big win for Naas.

Now if the footballers and hurlers can get their respective Leinster Club campaigns off to a successful start in the next couple of weeks, who knows where 2022 will end on the playing pitches of Leinster and even beyond.

And on the racing front come 2023 maybe at the famous Cotswolds in Cheltenham.

Now there's a thought!