Hewick cruises to victory on seasonal return at Thurles

Crowd favourite Hewick made a winning return to action, cruising to victory in the www.thurlesraces.ie Hurdle with ease.

Shark Hanlon’s stable star is limbering up for another campaign over fences, with the Champion Chase at Down Royal or the Charlie Hall at Wetherby on November 1 options for an early season target.

As an autumnal pipe-opener he switched back to hurdles at Thurles, and with the trainer’s son Paddy in the saddle they took on only two rivals.

Hewick, a Grade One winner with a  King George VI Chase title to his name, was the 8-15 favourite and justified that price when jumping for fun and cantering to a four-and-three-quarter-length triumph from John McConnell’s Moon D’Orange.

The winning trainer said: “Paddy said he took a good blow at the top of the hill but I knew he would, as he is only back in training seven weeks.

“He got one blow in the Curragh and my own new gallop at home is very good, but he said he’ll improve a lot from it. He is a dream horse and he loves it.

“I’d like to see Paddy staying on him for the year but T J (McDonald, owner) might have different ideas. We’ll see but I think the two of them have a bond and when a horse has a bond with a jockey, I’d love to keep it together. That’s up to T J though.

“He has the BetVictor Champion Chase in Down Royal or the Charlie Hall in Wetherby next but it depends on the ground. Today’s race will put him spot on and we’re going wherever there is goodish ground.

“I know he is a 10-year-old but I feel he is better and stronger this year.”

The Grand National at Aintree could again be the long-term aim, a race the gelding finished a creditable eighth in last term.

Hanlon added: “He was beaten only 18 lengths in the Grand National and while I wondered whether he stayed the distance, hitting the third-last knocked the stuffing out of him.

“Every race is an aim but why not try the Grand National again? He is a great people’s horse and I met so many who were here to see Hewick today.”