Hanlon Favouring Charlie Hall Test For Hewick

Shark Hanlon is "95 percent sure" Hewick will head to Wetherby on Saturday for the bet365 Charlie Hall Chase.


The bet365 Gold Cup, American Grand National, Galway Plate and King George VI Chase hero made a victorious go back to action over hurdles at Thurles previously this month, when ridden by the fitness instructor's kid Paddy Hanlon, and is set to return to the bigger obstacles this weekend.


Hewick is also gone into in the Grade One BetVictor Champion Chase at Down Royal on Saturday, a race in which he completed a close second last season, but the possibility of drier ground in West Yorkshire implies Hanlon is currently favouring a trip across the Irish Sea.


"It's not set in stone yet, but I'm 95 per cent sure we'll go to the Charlie Hall," he stated.


"There's rain entering Down Royal and they've been watering for the last two weeks. We might wind up with yielding to soft ground and if that occurred we 'd definitely go the other way.


"The other day in Thurles he was really great and Paddy was great on him. We haven't chosen who will ride him this weekend yet, maybe simply returning over fences we might put Gavin (Sheehan) back on him, we'll see.


Hewick after victory at Thurles (Thomas Weekes/PA)


"It's an excellent opportunity for him to win another great pot on Saturday. There's a couple of good horses in the Down Royal race and a few good horses in Wetherby, but isn't he entitled to take his opportunity no matter where we go?"


Hewick finished a creditable eighth in the Grand National last season and while another fracture at the world's most popular steeplechase is not being dismissed, his fitness instructor is eyeing up another major prize in the spring.


Hanlon included: "Down the roadway I 'd be believing of the Stayers' Hurdle - I believe he might be an ideal horse for a Stayers' Hurdle this year."


Hewick was among 10 horses entered for the Charlie Hall Chase on Monday, with Gordon Elliott's pair of Croke Park and Stellar Story the two other Irish-trained contenders.


The home group includes Patrick Neville's defending champ The Real Whacker, Dan Skelton's triple Grade One winner Protektorat and Pic D'orhy, who could bid to offer Paul Nicholls with his 6th victory in the race following the previous successes of See More Business (1999 and 2000), Silviniaco Conti (2011 ), Cyrname (2020) and Bravemansgame (2022 ).


Djelo (Venetia Williams), Ga Law (Jamie Snowden), Hang In There (Emma Lavelle) and Sam Brown (Anthony Honeyball) are the other .