John Hanlon hopes Hewick can defy top weight in his bid for Grand National glory
“I knew he’d have top weight. You have to expect that. He probably deserves top weight."
John Hanlon admits Hewick ‘deserves’ his status at the top of the weights for the 2024 Grand National.
The King George winner is bidding to become the first horse since 1934 to land the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Grand National in the same season and has been handed a rating of 169 with 11st 12lb to carry.
Hanlon said: “I knew he’d have top weight. You have to expect that. He probably deserves top weight.
“I think the trip will suit him. He’s going for the Gold Cup first and please God he comes out of the Gold Cup safe and if he does he’ll definitely head there (to Aintree).
“It’s a mighty day. It’s one of those days you look forward all year to. The National, the Gold Cup and the King George at Kempton – they’re the three big days in England, aren’t they, so it’s great to have a runner there.”
Top weight for Hewick in the National🥊@jhanlonracing's superstar is bidding to become the first horse since 1934 to win the Gold Cup and Grand National in the same season 🏆#GreenTeam | @AintreeRaces | @TheJockeyClub pic.twitter.com/dY3XTTAeDX
— Horse Racing Ireland (@HRIRacing) February 20, 2024
The €850 hero Hewick, a winner of the American Grand National in 2022, fell when well placed in the Gold Cup last year and Hanlon knows conditions will be key to his chances of an improvement both at Cheltenham and Aintree.
“The most important thing is that he gets good ground,” he said.
“With fewer runners in the race this year there won’t be quite as much weight between us and the horses at the bottom.
“There’s a month between the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the National this year so I think it’s a big opportunity for him.”
Gordon Elliott would move level with Ginger McCain, Fred Rimell and trainer George Dockery at the top of the all-time list of most successful Grand National trainers if he lands a fourth success.
He has 23 runners currently entered and qualified, eight of whom are in the top 34 as it stands, with Galvin (10st 12lb) and Chemical Energy (10st 5lb) among the pick of the bunch while Conflated (11st 9lb) is the highest-rated.
“It’s still a great thrill for us,” Elliott said.
“We’d love to win it again and if we did it would be very special. It’s a great race - it’s one of the greatest races in the world. Tiger Roll winning the second was unbelievable.
“Galvin looks like he could be well handicapped. He was nearly top weight last year and he’s one who could be there.
“Chemical Energy is another. We’ve been keeping him for a bit of spring ground so this has been the plan all year.”
Gavin Cromwell’s Vanillier (10st 8lb) has moved to the top of the betting following the weights being announced, with last year’s runner-up usurping reigning champion Corach Rambler (11st 2lb) as the favourite.
The nine-year-old is bidding to become just the fourth grey winner of the world’s oldest steeplechase, having missed out by two-and-a-quarter lengths last time out.
Cromwell said: “He’s been trained for this race really and it’s a case of him coming in the spring.
“He is a spring horse. He’s going to have to improve plenty but he does have the experience of last year.
“We were obviously thrilled to be second in the Grand National but when you’re coming home well like that you do think about what could have been.
“But it was a great moment. We had lots of luck last year. He went round on the inside and got all the luck – you need luck in every National.
“It’s every trainer’s dream to win the Grand National and we’ll certainly give it a good shot again this year anyway.”
Quotes courtesy of The Jockey Club