Hanlon to return from start of March and aims Hewick at Aintree Grand National

Speaking exclusively to BoyleSports at their Cheltenham Festival Preview Night in Limerick, trainer Shark Hanlon revealed he will be returning to training on March 1 following a six-month suspension from the sport.

Hanlon also revealed exclusively to BoyleSports that stable star Hewick will likely be heading to Aintree for the Grand National in April.

Hanlon said:

"I get my licence back on March 1 - I had the whole world behind me when I lost it and I hope to have that support again now I am back. Were Very busy! We had a new gallop installed, so that was a big thing for us. I lost my licence three months ago but we are back in business on March 1, so I am really looking forward to getting back home."

"Listen, we sold a lot of horses at Doncaster and now I have to go and try and replace them, and get new owners, which is not simple.

"The only good thing out of this is that pretty much the whole world was behind me so I am really hoping we have plenty of support when we come back," said Hanlon.

King George winner Hewick, who had been trained by Tara Lee Cogan during Hanlon's suspension, had held an entry in the Cheltenham Gold Cup but Hanlon confirmed that all sights are now likely to be set on the Aintree Grand National. 

" I think we will end up at Aintree for the Grand National. It depends on the ground if he runs at Cheltenham, we haven’t made our mind up yet, the big aim for this year and for the last six or seven months was the National so that’s where we will probably be going with Hewick.

"I won’t be having any Cheltenham runners this year - but I am looking forward to the Festival all the same. You see Willie for example, he doesn't run his horses until November and he has the big team of horses. This summer, after being so good, the winter was also good, a lot of horses we haven't got to see until now. Sometimes they might come out in October but this year, we didn’t really see the big guns until Christmas this year from his yard.

"I don’t think we will be having any runners at Cheltenham this year, just because of what has happened over the last few months. It’s just too soon, Aintree will be where I may have three or four of them out, but I am really looking forward to Cheltenham just the same," said Hanlon. 

Even without runners there, Hanlon said he will enjoy the Festival but fears that punters may be turned off the huge event. 

"The Irish Festivals are becoming big-time but Cheltenham will always be number one They are becoming big time but look, Cheltenham is never going to change being the number one in the sport.

"That said, I don’t know if a lot of the Irish punters will head over this year because of the price, it is so expensive. As a matter of fact, I met a lot of people at DRF from Britain, who would rather come there and go to Cheltenham because it is more affordable. I think we could see smaller crowds there this year," said Hanlon. 

He thinks racing in Ireland is in a great place and says Galopin Des Champs is ready to join the pantheon of the greats if he can make it three Gold Cups in a row next month. 

"Racing in Ireland has never been as strong as it is now. Never ever. To have Willie, Gordon, Henry, and their team of horses this year, it’s very strong. Over in England, I think Paul Nicholls is just a bit short on power, Dan Skelton and Nicky Henderson will be the two that come out on top over there I think.

"I love Constitution Hill - I hope the English have a few winners this year Constitution Hill, I love him and I think he will win. I hope the English have a few winners. But, Willie has such a strong team this year and to be fair, we don’t know how good some of them are but we know they are good.

"Only on Thursday he just unleashed a bumper horse at Punchestown that looked incredibly good. The ground was heavy today, he will have a lot better ground at Cheltenham, 

 "The horse I have been looking at all year, Galopin Des Champs, he is a machine. I am tired of looking at the back of him with Hewick to be honest. We had a great run against him at Punchestown on good ground, hopefully we will get good ground again one day and we can take him on again, but Galopin Des Champs is a machine of a horse. He’s a star, he will be one the greatest of all time if he wins a third Cheltenham Gold Cup.