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Hewick overcomes mistake to land Grade 2 Oaksey Chase at Sandown…

Shark Hanlon's decision to bypass both the bet365 Gold Cup earlier on the card and the Irish Gold Cup at the Punchestown Festival paid off as his improving Hewick won the Grade 2 Oaksey Chase in commanding style.

The eight-year-old American Grand National Winner was in the process of running a mighty race when coming down two-out in the Cheltenham Gold Cup last month but showed no signs of that taking its toll today.

Always prominent throughout Hewick and First Flow traded blows from an early stage, and it soon became apparent this may lie between the pair. Kim Bailey's runner arguably jumped more fluently and Hewick had to overcome a notable mistake at the midway stage. That said, jockey Rachael Blackmore never looked likely to push any of the panic buttons and the pair were soon poised to challenge approaching the last. The Shark Hanlon-trained runner was kept honest all the way by First Flow, but his class eventually prevailed as he came clear for a four-length success.

In an interview with ITV Racing trainer Shark Hanlon said: "I was just a little bit afraid tacking him up that I hadn't given him enough. I didn't do an awful lot with him after Cheltenham we just popped him the one day under me own son Paddy. I was just hoping I'd had enough done with him because after Cheltenham I gave him ten days off after the fall. But listen lads he's some tough horse, he's unreal.

When asked by interviewer Oli Bell. Where in the world is he going to take you next? The Shark replied: "He could take me anywhere now. I've a little thing in my mind but I'm not going to say yet. I think I'll end up there with his next run".

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