Hewick’s withdrawal results in weight changes for 2024 Grand National
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The Grand National is a complex contest in which one single change can throw the whole arrangement into chaos. In this year’s lead-up to the famous steeplechase, the news that Shark Hanlon has opted to withdraw Hewick from the National and aim to send him into the Aintree Bowl instead has meant that the weights allocated to each contender has had to be changed.
Larger Implications
Usually, the news that a horse is to be withdrawn from the Grand National wouldn’t be that much of an issue, however it has larger implications if the runner happens to be the one burdened with top weight by the handicapper. Hewick was handed top weight of 11-12 by the handicapper and this set the bar for every other contender, therefore with this runner now withdrawn from the marathon, there needs to be a replacement at the top of the weights. This dubious honour has been given to Gordon Elliott inmate Conflated who has been burdened with 11-12, an increase of 3 lbs which has also been added to each and every other horse in the race.
Grand National Runners
This may seem like a minimal increase to some but in reality it can be the difference between winning and losing. As many will know, the heavier the weight, the less the chances of finishing first past the post and this clearly has implications on the betting markets in the lead-up to the contest. Indeed, whatever chances the likes of Capodanno, Noble Yeats, Nassalam or Conflated had prior to the announcement, their attempts to finish first past the post will be exponentially harder now that their weights have all been increased. Clearly the same applies to all of the other Grand National runners on Saturday, 13th April.
