Grand National horse who cost £800 sipped pint of Guinness in pub and could win iconic race

Irish raider has already tasted unlikely success on British soil, and the £800 now has the awaiting him. Purchased as a two-year-old , the gelding has brought with him endless success to trainer John 'Shark' Hanlon, claiming the likes of the Galway Plate and Oaksey Chase on top of some successful stints Stateside.

His crowning glory, however, , when Hewick defied the field and scarpered home on favourable ground over three miles to take the coveted contest back to Ireland. Now, having traded trainers briefly - in light of for in public view - and winning his last run, the 10-year-old will have a crack at .

Even before his success at Kempton, the heroic Hewick caught the public eye. During celebrations after his US Grand National win in 2022, back in County Carlow, Ireland, Hanlon guided the gelding into a pub and indulge in a pint of Guinness he did.

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A video of the revelries went viral, and the horse - who has tallied up total winnings exceeding £750,000 throughout an unexpectedly glittering tenure - now has plenty of backers in his bid to tackle the hallowed fences of Aintree. Hewick's price has rattled in from the once available 66-1 down to as low as 9-1 at the time of writing.

One significant factor that could play a part in the friendly market-moving of the 10-year-old is the fact that Gavin Sheehan - the man doing the steering when Hewick rose to King George glory - is once again jocked up.

Sheehan, infamously, had never even climbed aboard the Irish star before guiding him to success around the notoriously tricky Kempton - and hasn't since.

The rider, who has tallied up over 300 winners in Britain alone throughout his career, has been given the call for Aintree. Still, he hasn't been the one schooling Hewick over National fences, remarkably admitting that the only time he's ever gotten a leg up onto the gelding was during the King George.

"I suppose I was hoping to get the call. Ever since I won the King George on Hewick, Shark said he wanted to go for the Grand National," Sheehan told BetVictor. "He didn't end up going for it that year, but it's brilliant to be giving it a go this year.

"The only time I've sat on him was in the King George! I was going to head over and school him over the National fences in the Curragh, but Shark got Jody McGarvey to school him over there.

"He said he was very good and straightforward over them, so there was no need for me to go over and school him. Hopefully, the big field and the occasion will bring him forward.

"They went very quick that day in the King George and his stamina came through, and there's no doubt they'll go quick in the National. Hopefully, he's got that early speed, and we can jump off well and ride a straightforward race."

Hewick's last three runs paint rather differing pictures. In the 2m7f Savills Hurdle last December, the rather soft ground made for unfavourable conditions and this was reflected in Jordan Gainford's mount finishing a lacklustre fifth.

Next up, over fences this time in the Irish Gold Cup, again, soft ground saw the less-fancied Hewick fall to seventh - though he did keep on and finish the affair ahead of reigning Grand National winner I Am Maximus, as well as Minella Cocooner and Conflated - both who are intended runners in this year's renewal.

However, last time out, in a 2m6f hurdle at Thurles on his preferred good ground, Hewick bounced back with his first win since Kempton, the perfect preparation for an unlikely but highly-anticipated tilt at the £1million showpiece - which could offer up a going the gelding craves.