Tag Archive for: John Hanlon

Shark Hanlon poised for training return following suspension

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Trainer John ‘Shark’ Hanlon is free to send out his first runners since November from this weekend – and has his eyes firmly fixed on a Randox Grand National bid with with stable star Hewick.

Hanlon has his licence suspended after the Referrals Committee of the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board found he had acted in a manner that “caused significant prejudice to the integrity, proper conduct and good reputation of the sport of racing” in the removal of a dead horse from his yard last year.

The Bagenalstown handler was initially given a 10-month suspension, but saw that reduced to six after an appeal, with the Appeals Body confirming that Hanlon could make an application to suspend the final three months if certain conditions were met.

Hanlon’s suspension came into effect from December 1, with Tara Lee Cogan assuming training duties at his yard, and the Referrals Committee convened online on February 5 to consider Hanlon’s application to review the suspension imposed upon him.

On condition that Hanlon does not commit any further breach of Rule 272 within the suspended timeframe, for the duration of six months up to June 1 2025, otherwise the suspended part could come into effect along with any other penalties that might arise, the trainer’s licence was restored early on February 14 in the knowledge that he would not be able to run any horses until March 1 due to a new ruling.

With that date now looming, Hanlon is delighted to be back in action.

He said: “They gave the licence back to me two weeks ago in fairness, but there’s a new rule in Ireland that you have to have horses in training for 14 days before you can run them, so we’ll be ready to go again from March 1.”

Last season’s King George VI Chase hero Hewick has run twice for Cogan this winter, finishing fifth in a Grade One hurdle race at Leopardstown over the Christmas period before coming home seventh behind Galopin Des Champs in the Irish Gold Cup.

The 10-year-old is entered in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup next month, but Hanlon is leaning towards sidestepping the blue riband in order to keep his powder dry for the world’s most famous steeplechase at Aintree three week later.

“I think we’ll miss the Gold Cup, the National is the plan and has been for a while,” he added.

“The handicapper has dropped him a little bit after his last couple of runs and he gets in the National with 11st 7lb, which I think is a nice weight because it looks like 10st 10lb could be bottom-weight, so he wouldn’t be giving loads of weight to anything.

“As long as we get good ground, that’s the main thing, and I’d rather go there fresh than be taking on Galopin Des Champs in the Gold Cup.

“I might give him a run over hurdles between now and then, but we’ll see. There’s a race a conditions hurdle in two weeks’ time in Ireland and I might go there.”

Shark has King George attack on the radar for Hewick

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John ‘Shark’ Hanlon is gearing Hewick up for a crack at the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase, providing conditions at Kempton prove suitable over the Christmas period.

The Boxing Day feature has an open look to it following the Betfair Chase defeat of Bravemansgame and Nicky Henderson’s struggles to get Shishkin a prep run and as such, Hanlon is keen to throw Hewick’s hat into the ring having been successful on raiding missions in the past.

The eight-year-old, who was famously picked up for just €850, has won the American Grand National on his travels before, as well as progressing from winning the Durham National to win land both the Bet365 Gold Cup and John Oaksey Chase at Sandown in the past two seasons.

John ‘Shark’ Hanlon with Hewick at his stable in Bagenalstown
John ‘Shark’ Hanlon with Hewick at his stable in Bagenalstown (Lorraine O’Sullivan/PA)

However, ground conditions will prove crucial in deciding where Hewick lines up for his seasonal reappearance, with Leopardstown’s Savills Chase (December 28) also on the radar.

“He’s entered in the King George which looks a possibility at the minute,” Hanlon said.

“A lot will depend on the ground and with the weather the way it is at the minute, if we don’t have goodish ground I won’t run him. He wants good ground.

“We’re after getting a month of rain in the last fortnight and meetings are still being called off in England this week.

“If the ground is anywhere near good at Kempton he will go to Kempton. With the results over there in the last couple of weeks you would have to think he would have a real chance.”

Hewick was running a massive race in last season’s Cheltenham Gold Cup when taking a crushing fall at the second-last and another shot at the blue riband is central to the gelding’s plans this season.

His Christmas outing at either Kempton or Leopardstown could be the only time Hewick is sighted before March, with his handler keen to arrive at Prestbury Park with a horse at the peak of his powers.

Hewick (right) in action at Sandown in the Oaksey Chase
Hewick (right) in action at Sandown in the Oaksey Chase (Steven Paston/PA)

“He’s in real good form and we’re kind of training him for a Gold Cup, that’s the plan,” continued Hanlon.

“He ran very well in it last year and he will go fresh to it this year. He will probably only have one run before he goes and I would love to go to Kempton, but we’re kind of dependent on the ground and it is the same with Leopardstown, wherever the ground is best he will go.

“We’ll put him away then and have a crack at the big one.”