Hewick will not bid for the Randox Grand National glory following his fall in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup at last week's Cheltenham Festival.
Trainer John 'Shark' Hanlon confirmed his stable star will not now head to Aintree Racecourse on April 15 and will be given more time to get over his exertions at Prestbury Park last Friday. The eight-year-old has showcased his talents over the past 12 months, winning the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown last April, the Galway Plate in the summer and also American Grand National in Far Hills, New Jersey in October.
Under Jordan Gainford, Hewick was running a fine race in racing's blue riband event last week, before taking a crashing fall at the second last fence, as Willie Mullins' Galopin Des Champs went on to land the Gold Cup. Thankfully Hewick suffered no injury in the fall, but Hanlon has decided the Aintree showpiece will now be off the agenda. The trainer, though, is still likely to saddle Cape Gentleman, who was bought by American owners who are the descendents of Stephen Sanford – the owner of Sergeant Murphy, who won the Grand National 100 years ago.
READ MORE: Full 73 current entries for the 2023 Randox Grand National at Aintree
The County Carlow-based handler said: “We are very proud of the horse and thanks be to God he’s OK. He was going so well. He always hits a flat spot and he was just after coming out of it, and Jordan was very convinced that, while he might not have beaten the winner, he said, ‘I thought we might have been second’.”
Hanlon felt the ground at Cheltenham was too soft for Hewick and he was in two minds whether to let his charge line-up. He added: “If only the ground was better. He needs good ground and the ground would have been too soft for him, but he gave a goodish account of himself. I’d say the ground hasn’t been as soft for seven or eight years on the Friday.
“It was a tough decision to run. We walked the track twice – once at seven o’clock in the morning and again at 11 o’clock – and it was amazing how much it dried out between seven and eleven. He’d handle good ground. But in our country it would have been yielding to soft. It was tacky ground.”
Hewick could bid to defend his bet365 Gold Cup crown at Sandown later on in April or stay at home and have a crack at the Punchestown Gold Cup.
Hanlon said: “He’s good now, thanks be to God. We are happy to have him home because he got an awful fall. He won’t go to the National. I would be 99 per cent sure. We’ll see how he is, but he has had such a fall. We’ll probably end up going back to Punchestown for the Gold Cup. He’ll have better ground and it’s six weeks from now. I wouldn’t mind going back to the bet365 Gold Cup. I will talk to the owners and see. He’ll either go for the (Punchestown) Gold Cup or the bet365 – he’ll go one way or the other.”
Hewick was having his first run run at Prestbury Park since his American National victory and Hanlon is eyeing another crack at the Gold Cup next season. He said: “We will go different next year. We will probably give him a run maybe at the Dublin Festival, because he hadn’t had a run for six months, which was a long time, but I’m not sorry we didn’t give him a run, because he needed his break. Listen, we are thrilled with him and everyone got a buzz out of it. He’s the people’s horse, but because of the fall, the National has gone. He lives to fight another day and we know we have a good horse. He’s entitled to be there at Cheltenham again next year to have another go.”
Meanwhile the trophy for this year's Randox Grand National Trophy was unveiled on ITV Racing over the weekend.
The Grand National trophy is one of the most iconic and prestigious sporting trophies in the world of horseracing. From the start of the health company's sponsorship of the world's greatest steeplechase in 2017, Randox CEO Dr Peter FitzGerald proposed a unique trophy would be designed and produced each year. The winning owner receives the full size trophy, with the winning trainer, jockey and groom all receiving a miniature version.
Each trophy is uniquely Randox and has a story to tell. The design of the trophy has evolved over the years and the 2023 trophy has a special significance as it incorporates several key elements that represent the company's values and achievements – alongside a nod to a very special racehorse. At the top of the trophy there is a beautifully crafted horse mid-jump, symbolising the 30 fences that the winner will navigate during the race contest on April. The horse is shown making its way over a horseshoe instead of a fence, representing protection and good luck. In the centre of the trophy, a gold blood drop symbolises Randox's diagnostic testing. This leads up to the DNA double helix, representing the company's genomic testing capabilities. Randox offers seven different types of genetic testing, empowering people to find out more about their future health. The base of the trophy features a molecular pattern, representing Randox's molecular testing capabilities. The "o" in Randox is embellished with red enamel, symbolising accuracy and precision, which are integral to the Randox brand. The red enamel is also representative of a blood drop, used in much of Randox's diagnostic testing.
READ MORE: Grand National 2023: dates, tickets and how to watch on TV
Etched along the bottom of the trophy, is "Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Red Rum winning his first Grand National race" paying tribute to the legendary Red Rum’s first of his record three Grand National triumphs in 1973. The quartet of silver strands that connect the top and bottom of the trophy represent Randox's support of racing and sponsorship of the Grand National.
Elizabeth Moran, of Randox who designed the trophy, said: “It was a wonderfully creative challenge to design this year’s trophy, reflecting both this national, iconic sporting event and Randox’s innovation within healthcare, and I think we got it just right.”
Silversmith Cara Murphy, who produced the trophy, added: “I am delighted with what we have achieved. This is a highly intricate trophy and was enjoyable to produce – the end result is a trophy to grace the podium and recognise the achievement of winning the world’s greatest steeplechase.”
The 2023 Randox Grand National Trophy is a beautiful and intricate work of art that embodies the company's commitment to innovation, accuracy, and precision in the field of diagnostic testing. The horse, the horseshoe, and the nod to Red Rum all come together to create a stunning and symbolic celebration of horseracing.
During the Randox Grand National Festival (Thursday-Saturday, April 13-15), the trophy as well as trophies from previous Randox Grand Nationals, can be viewed in trophy marquee next to the Red Rum Garden at Aintree Racecourse.
