"We can't thank him enough": Hewick retired after final hurrah

Hewick, the 2023 King George VI Chase winner, famously bought for just £850, has been retired after finishing third at Cork on Friday evening.

Shark Hanlon, his loquacious trainer, paid a fulsome tribute to the horse on Racing TV after he signed up with a predictably honest effort in front of an appreciative Mallow crowd.

Hewick's memorable and improbable King George success was one of 12 victories that also included the American Grand National, the 2022 Galway Plate and the Grade 2 Oaksey Chase and Grade 3 bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown.

"All good times come to an end, so they do," Hanlon told Johnny Ward. "He was some horse for us and for the yard and for everyone involved, you know, for the owner there. He was a dream. Going to America, winning an American National, winning the Galway Plate. He'd done it all.

"We had our mind made up we were coming here and we were going to retire him and he ran his heart out again today. It's just the younger horses are taking him off his feet now.  So it's time. It's great to have a horse that you can retire. He's on four legs, he's a hundred percent, and he's going to a very good home with TJ [McDonald]. 

"He's one of those horses that was a real people's horse. And I think a lot of people got great enjoyment - the King George was one of those rest that was unreal. to go win a King George."

Hanlon's son Paddy rode the horse to win twice at Thurles in 2025 and said: "His legs are not as fast as they were before, but he's been some star for us and we can't thank him enough. 

Asked about how it felt to be part of the story, the jockey replied: "Yeah, like it was just 'How was Hewick? How was he going? Where was he going?'

"He's brought us to the big days. He brought us to Cheltenham and won a Galway Plate when Grandad was around. It was a brilliant day, the Galway Plate - Granny and Grandad, everyone was there.

"He was going to win a Kerry National, won an American National, brought us to America, won the Bet365. He won so many races for us and he's just been a superstar."

The trainer now plans to host a stable open day to allow Hewick's supporters a chance to say a personal goodbye.

"I'll tell you, we will be having one hell of a baloo at home," he said. "We'll have an opening day in a month's time and everyone's going to be welcome to come. A lot of people love this horse and everyone's going to be welcome to come. We'll let everyone know and we'll just make a big day of it."

Reflecting upon how Hewick's career hadn't always gone entirely to plan, he said:

"When we got him I said that he'll win a point-to-point and we'll get £100,000 for him later on. He got brought down the first day, he fell the second day and the young lad fell off him the third day. And I remember coming back up the road with Rachel. I said 'We've done a great job with this horse - we've turned £100,000 into nothing'.

"But I suppose if he had gone in, it wouldn't have ever happened. So it was all for luck."