Hanlon mapping out hurdles campaign for Hewick

Hewick looks set revert to hurdling for the rest of the season after coming up short in the Charlie Hall Chase on Saturday.

Shark Hanlon’s stable star was the 2-1 favourite for Wetherby’s Grade Two feature after making a successful return to action over the smaller obstacles at Thurles last month, but was beaten 28 lengths into fourth place by the Venetia Williams-trained winner Djelo.

Although Hewick has won a number of high-profile races over fences, including the bet365 Gold Cup, the Galway Plate and the King George VI Chase, Hanlon feels he may now be more comfortable over hurdles, with a possible trip to Newbury next on the agenda and the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival identified as his long-term objective.

“There’s not a bother on him and he ate up when he came home. They just went very hard and he couldn’t make up the ground,” said the Bagenalstown handler.

“I suppose the two-and-a-half-mile horses were the ones that were in front and he’s more of a three-and-a-half-mile horse than a two-and-a-half-mile horse – they just took him off his feet, that’s all.

“We will look to go hurdling for the rest of the year I’d say and he could go to Newbury (for the Coral Long Distance Hurdle) in three weeks’ time.

“Three miles or three-mile-two and the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham will be kind of the route.”