Take the horse once paraded in a pub – Hewick – to spark all manner of celebrations and win the Grand National (Saturday, 4.00) at Aintree.
His trainer, John ‘Shark’ Hanlon, recently relayed a story from his youth. “What time,” his mother would ask her son, “are you going to mass tonight?”
Shark would reply: “A quarter to eight.”
To which his mother would retort: “Then why does it take you three days to come home?”
Shark recalled the tale in advance of a potential National win for Hewick – and things are swinging in favour of the ten-year-old. He skipped the Cheltenham Gold Cup – and he must have had a decent chance of finishing placed in the Cotswolds with the terrain so lively – to give him the best chance of winning the National.
It has been the plan for Hewick for over a year and one could not be unhappy with his preparation. He ran a pleasing race over fences at Leopardstown and looked as good as ever when running away from his useful rivals reverting to hurdles at Thurles last month. Gavin Sheehan has been booked to steer the horse, who pretty much has as much class as everything else in the race or more.
The old spectacle is something of a glorified hurdle race these days compared to what it was. Whatever your take on the race that stops a nation’s modifications this century, Hewick fits the profile. He has the quality, had a smooth preparation unlike others and, crucially, the ground he wants.
This will be no slog. The fences are about as forgiving as it gets, they have been talking of watering the track to ensure it is as safe as possible and how many of these would be good enough to win a King George, as Hewick was last season?
I Am Maximus is looking for back-to-back wins
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Would the 8lbs higher mark that top weight I Am Maximus has to carry 12 months on have stopped him last year? His finishing burst that day was quite something. A quirky character who can jump out to his left, he is a similar price to last year when he won at 7-1, and Paul Townend was in truly sensational form for Willie Mullins here on Thursday. He missed his final prep race but has solid credentials otherwise.
The Gold Cup hero, Inothewayurthinkin, would have been one of the shortest-priced favourites in National history were he given the nod to run. The same connections’ Perceval Legallois does not have the ability of the Cheltenham hero but there are similarities and he appeals as the type who will appreciate this relatively mild jumping test.
Another Gavin Cromwell-trained steed, Vanillier, has to be respected. A strong-finishing second off the same mark in the 2023 Grand National, he ran a fine race behind yet another stablemate running here, Stumptown, at Cheltenham.
Gavin Cromwell has better prospects than all the British runners put together. Stumptown took a while to get going in the cross-country race at Cheltenham and that is a concern but that race, too, has been a bizarrely good prep for this. Tiger Roll, like I Am Maximus an Authorized-bred who would have had no chance of winning over the old National fences, loved to come here after taking on the banks course at Cheltenham.
Do the British runners have any hope? We are going to give a sixth selection for each-way purposes – note that one bookmaker is paying eight places – and Hyland is feasible in a week to forget for Nico de Boinville, who hit the deck again along with Constitution Hill in Thursday’s feature. Perhaps the two men will have the last laugh with Hyland, who has had only six runs over fences but that is neither here nor there given the makeup of the race now. He has time on his side and potential to improve over this trip.
But perhaps they will all have to go beat Hewick. After his US Grand National heroics in 2022, ‘Shark’ brought his horse to his local pub. There could be quite the celebrations this evening, from Liverpool to County Carlow.
Grand National selections
Teahupoo is one of our picks earlier in the day
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Nicky Henderson can strike on a big day for JP McManus in the opening William Hill Top Price Guarantee Handicap Hurdle (1.20) with Jeriko Du Reponet. Well-backed in the Pertemps Final at Cheltenham stepped up to three miles, he did all bar win.
The first of the Grade Ones is the Turners Mersey Novices’ Hurdle (1.55). Henderson’s decision to reroute the juvenile Lulamba here is fascinating but he’s a short price and Koktail Divin is a solid each-way alternative. So is Honesty Policy, who is the selection at about 20-1.
The William Hill Handicap Chase (2.30) looks a good fit for Doctor Ken, who returned from a lengthy spell off the course with a cracking prep at Kempton in November and he has a good record fresh for the excellent Olly Murphy.
The Grade One Ivy Liverpool Hurdle (3.05) sees another relative youngster, Kitzbuhel, take his first shot at the top level. It is really hard to knock Teahupoo, however, and he looks a backable price at around 5-2 after finding Bob Olinger alone too strong at Cheltenham.
The final Grade One of the three days, the Rosconn Group Maghull Novices’ Chase (5.00), can see L’Eau du Sud reverse Cheltenham form with Only By Night, while the promising Le Labo can take the closing Weatherbys nhstallions.co.uk Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race (5.35) for Joseph O’Brien.
