Hewick primed for the race of his life but strong handed Mullins will be hard to beat

John 'Shark' Hanlon says stable star Hewick is 'bouncing' after making the trip to Aintree ahead of today's Grand National. 

The pint-sized 10-year-old continues his fairytale story for the Muine Bheag handler and his owner, TJ McDonald.

Speaking exclusively to BoyleSports, his official stable partner, Hanlon said: “This has been the plan for a long time, we first schooled him over National fences two years ago and we’ve always been aiming towards this day.

“He’s been the most amazing horse for us and he’s arrived here at Aintree in brilliant form, he’s absolutely bouncing. You always need luck on your side in the National but the ground has come perfect for him and we think he’s going to run a huge race.”

More recently, Paddy Hanlon, the son of the trainer rode Hewick to victory in the Jimmy Neville Memorial hurdle at Thurles while Jordan Gainford was on board when the horse ran without success at both the 2024 Christmas Racing Festival at Leopardstown and two months later at the same venue in the Dublin Racing Festival but it is Gavin Sheehan who takes the ride today, and he warmed up nicely for the big race with a win at Aintree on Friday on Julius Des Pictons in the Sefton Novices' Hurdle.

"It's always been a dream of mine, and now I've got my best chance in the Grand National," said Sheehan.

After his entry to Aintree, Hewick could be backed at 66/1 but is now priced as short as 12/1.

“He is a people’s horse but he didn’t deserve to be 66/1 either. He is a Grade 1 winner and he is taking on a lot of handicappers. Listen, you need a lot of luck in the Grand National but I think he is as good as anything that is there,” said the Shark.

Carrying a weight of 11.7 doesn’t bother the trainer.

“It is a fair weight. Bottom weight is 10.2 There is only a stone between us and bottom weight which I think is fair.” 

To win the Grand National, it would be a huge achievement for the trainer who has a small yard a few kilometres from the Royal Oak on the Carlow-Kilkenny border. Yet he knows that himself but relishes the challenge.

“Willie Mullins has five or six to seven, Gordon Elliott has five or six to seven. Paul Nichols too. You are dealing with top-class, you are dealing with top drawer there. There are a lot of good trainers there. A lot of good horses but I think Hewick deserves to take his chance. The fences are not what they were ten years ago. If I thought there was any danger of injury I wouldn’t run him,” states Hanlon.

Hewick, of course, isn't the only horse aiming to bring the famous trophy back to Carlow. 

After landing the feature last year with I Am Maximus,  Willie Mullins has six runners in the biggest steeplechase of the year. The winner of the 2024 renewal team up again with Paul Townend as he bids for back-to-backs successes, the first since Tiger Roll a number of years back. Townend and Mullins have already had quite the Festival at Aintree with four Grade 1 wins and this would round off the weekend perfectly. 

Patrick Mullins has been a Grade 1 winner at this Festival for his father as well and he takes the ride Thyestes Chase winner Nick Rockett with Danny Mullins choosing to ride

Meetingofthewaters over Minella Cocooner, who is ridden by Jonathan Burke. Brian Hayes takes the ride on Grangeclare West, who bypassed Cheltenham in order to run in the race, and Sean O'Keekfe is on Appreciate It.

"They’re all in good shape. They did their final bit of work last weekend and I’m very happy with them all." 

"I Am Maximus is very good. Paul Townend got down off him with a big smile on his face after his last bit of work, so that means he’s back to where Paul wants him anyway. It’s shaping up to be a great race."