A HORSE that went viral for drinking a pint of Guinness in an Irish pub watched the Gold Cup on TV after he was forced to withdraw from Cheltenham.
King George VI Chase and American Grand National winner Hewick was ruled out of the Gold Cup after walking the track on Thursday as trainer Shark Hanlon felt the conditions were too soft for the 14/1 shot.
But a heart-warming video posted by Hanlon on Friday showed Hewick watching the Cheltenham Festival‘s flagship race as Galopin des Champs won for a second successive year.
The horse was filmed staring at a small screen that had been placed on a unit in the stable.
Reacting to the clip, one person said: “Plotting his plan for the Grand National.”
Another added: “This might be the cutest thing I’ve seen all week.”
A third joked: “Wonder who he backed?”
While a fourth responded: “Ears pricked, fixated – would love to know what he’s thinking, bless him!”
Hewick, purchased for just £800, has been a sensation for trainer Hanlon.
He has fetched prize money totalling more than £600,000 since he began racing in 2019.
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But it was his antics at The Pint Depot in County Carlow, Ireland that saw him attract widespread attention outside of the horse racing community.
Hewick was brought into the pub and fed Guinness by his trainer as the footage blew up on social media.
When it comes to racing, Hewick’s next big goal is the Grand National on April 13.
He is a 33/1 shot for the win, with 6/1 Corach Rambler the early bookies favourite.