Shark Hanlon is poised to announce his decision later this week regarding the jockey who will partner his prized horse Hewick in the prestigious Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Jordan Gainford, a talented rider at the age of nine, has been Hewick's regular jockey and guided him to an impressive trio of major victories in 2022. These wins included triumphs in the bet365 Gold Cup, the Galway Plate, and the American Grand National.
Despite Gainford's successful partnership with Hewick, recent injuries have kept him off the horse competitively since his fall near the conclusion of last year's Gold Cup. In his absence, Rachael Blackmore took the reins to secure a subsequent victory at Sandown, while Gavin Sheehan guided Hewick to success in the recent King George at Kempton.
Following a setback that resulted in damaged vertebrae from a fall at Naas in mid-December, Gainford returned to the saddle aboard the unplaced Fury Road in Saturday's Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse. Despite also having two rides for Gordon Elliott at Naas on Sunday, Gainford did not achieve success in these outings.
With the highly anticipated Cheltenham Festival just around the corner, Hanlon is evidently eager for Gainford to regain his winning form before reaching a final verdict on his participation.
"We're going to hold off until later in the week, watching to see if Jordan can secure a victory or two before we reach a decision,"
Hanlon stated on Monday morning.
"I had a conversation with the owner last night, and that's the plan we've agreed upon."