The horse that cost £800 and drinks Guinness is causing bookie mayhem ahead of Grand National this weekend.
The horse, named Hewick, could very well emerge as the favourite by the time the most anticipated race of the year kicks off at 4pm on Saturday, according to trainer John ‘Shark’ Hanlon.
Hewick has captured the hearts of many, becoming somewhat of a cult hero when he made headlines in 2022 after Hanlon took him to his local pub, The Pint Depot in County Carlow, to celebrate winning the US Grand National.
In a hilarious yet bizarre moment that left punters in awe, Hewick was filmed drinking from a pint of Guinness.
Exercise jockey Matthew Rigney, who witnessed the celebration, expressed the magic of the moment: “The story is brilliant. To buy a horse like Hewick for £800 just never happens.
“You can buy a cow for more money than that.”
That humble investment has certainly paid off, with Hewick racking up over £750,000 in winnings for owner TJ McDonald, thanks to spectacular victories in the King George VI Chase, the Galway Plate, and the American Grand National.
The 10-year-old’s cult status might help explain the avalanche of bets being placed on him.
Hewick, once an outsider at 66/1, has impressively dropped to 9/1 with Sky Bet by Tuesday afternoon.
Brian O’Keeffe, spokesperson for BoyleSports, commented: “Bookies are sounding the ‘Shark Alarm’ as support for Hewick continues to grow.
“The number of people backing him for the Grand National shows no signs of slowing down, so Shark’s confidence is clearly being mirrored by punters.
“He’d be a nightmare result for the bookies, but they’re starting to come for the Willie Mullins team too, and it’s impossible to tell who will go off favourite at this stage.”
Trainer ‘Shark’ Hanlon is undoubtedly hopeful that Hewick can solidify his legendary status with a victory on Saturday, anticipating that his odds will keep dropping.
“If we get nice ground, Hewick is going to Aintree with a massive chance,” Hanlon told BoyleSports.
“He schooled over the National fences recently at Curragh and really enjoyed himself.
“Everything is going to plan so far, and he had a great win to improve his confidence under Paddy (Hanlon, John’s son) at Thurles.
“He’s a horse that the public loves, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he went off favourite at Aintree.”
The Grand National takes place on Saturday, April 5, 2025, standing as the highlight of the three-day Grand National meeting at Aintree racecourse, which commences on Thursday, April 3.
The Grand National features a dazzling £1 million total prize fund, with the winner receiving £500,000.
The fans and ‘The Shark’ will be hoping Hewick can bring home the winnings yet again.
If he does, he could be the mane event in a Liverpool pub this weekend…
