Hanlon Favouring Charlie Hall Test For Hewick

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


The bet365 Gold Cup, National, Galway Plate and King George VI Chase hero made a triumphant return to action over obstacles at Thurles earlier this month, when ridden by the fitness instructor's child Paddy Hanlon, and is set to return to the bigger challenges this weekend.


Hewick is likewise entered in the Grade One BetVictor Champion Chase at Down Royal on Saturday, a race in which he ended up a close second last season, however the prospect of drier ground in West Yorkshire indicates Hanlon is currently favouring a trip across the Irish Sea.


"It's not set in stone yet, however I'm 95 percent sure we'll go to the Charlie Hall," he said.


"There's rain entering into Down Royal and they've been watering for the last 2 weeks. We might wind up with accepting soft ground and if that happened we 'd definitely go the other way.


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


Hewick after victory at Thurles (Thomas Weekes/PA)


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


Hewick completed 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 reward in the spring.


Hanlon included: "Down the road I 'd be believing of the Stayers' Hurdle - I think he might be a right horse for a Stayers' Hurdle this year."


Hewick was one of 10 horses got in 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 team includes Patrick Neville's defending champ The Real Whacker, Dan Skelton's triple Grade One winner Protektorat and Pic D'orhy, who might bid to offer Paul Nicholls with his sixth triumph 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 hopefuls.