'Big chance' Hewick heads to France next with Shark Hanlon eyeing French Champion Hurdle

Shark Hanlon is strongly considering another crack at the French Champion Hurdle for King George winner Hewick, who has come out of last week's Punchestown Gold Cup "absolutely bouncing" according to the trainer.

Hewick was fourth in a vintage running of the Grande Course de Haies d'Auteuil last year. The superstar stayer Theleme came out on top 12 months ago, with the Willie Mullins-trained Klassical Dream doing best of a huge international challenge in third. 

Hewick stayed on to take fourth under Rachael Blackmore and Hanlon wants to go back to Auteuil on Saturday week to try again.

"I'd love to have another crack at the French Champion Hurdle," said Hanlon. "He was fourth in it last year and I think we could finish even closer this year. It's less than two weeks away but he's come out of Punchestown absolutely bouncing so I'll have a chat with his owner [TJ McDonald] and see whether we decide to give it a crack or not. I'd love to anyway, so I'd say there's a big chance he will."

Hanlon skipped the Cheltenham Festival with the nine-year-old due to unsuitably soft ground and ran him over hurdles for the same reason at last month's Grand National meeting.

Shark Hanlon is eyeing another big overseas payday for stable star HewickCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Hewick was sixth in the Grade 1 Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree and on the prospect of testing conditions in France, Hanlon said: "The ground was very heavy in the race last year, but that ground doesn't really bother him as he's only jumping hurdles. It's jumping fences on bottomless ground that I don't want to do. He's so small that I'd be afraid something would happen to him if we let him do that."

Reflecting on another huge effort from Hewick in the Punchestown Gold Cup, where he kept on for third behind Fastorslow and Galopin Des Champs, Hanlon said: "He ran an absolute cracker and we were over the moon with him. I knew he would keep going, he always does, and that sort of ground is a huge help to him. 

"You'd have to say it was up there with some of his best runs and he never gave up. His King George win was probably his career best, but this wasn't too far behind and he's still a fresh horse too. He's only had three runs since the Galway Plate last year so he doesn't have much mileage on the clock this year. He'll be a fresher horse heading to France this year."

Benie Des Dieux won the French Champion Hurdle for Mullins in 2019, while Thousand Stars won back-to-back runnings in 2011 and 2012.

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