Name: John “Shark” Hanlon
Address: Bagenalstown, Co. Carlow
Notable Wins: Kerry National (Alfa Beat 2011), Connacht Tribune Handicap Chase (Truckers Delight 2011), www.thetote.com Handicap Hurdle (Truckers Delight 2011), Michael Purcell Memorial Novice Hurdle (Hidden Cyclone 2011, Western Leader 2010), Synergy Security Solutions Novice Hurdle (Hidden Cyclone 2011), For Auction Novice Hurdle (Hidden Cyclone 2010), Ryan's Cleaning Events Specialists Hurdle (Luska Lad 2010), Rathbarry & Glenview Studs Novice Hurdle (Luska Lad 2010), Red Mills Trial Hurdle (Luska Lad 2010), Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle (Luska Lad 2010), Failte Ireland European Breeders Fund Handicap (Truckers Delight 2009), Masterchef Hospitality Handicap Hurdle (Truckers Delight 2009), Cork International Airport Hotel Handicap Hurdle (Darenjan 2009)
Principal Jockeys: Andrew McNamara, Brian Hayes, John Cullen
John “Shark” Hanlon may have only been training for a few short years, but he has already established himself on a big-race scene and has put together a fine team of horses.
Early Days
A man with an unmistakable physical presence, Shark Hanlon was initially involved in the cattle trading business prior to going to work with the Willie/Tony Mullins teams. After learning the ropes with those trainers, he took out his own license to train in 2006. He had the first winner of his training career with Melon Delta in a maiden point-to-point at Templemore on April Fool’s Day 2007 and he went on to have his first winner on the racecourse with Shaimaa in a bumper at Cork eight days later.
Hanlon had a more than satisfactory first full season in 2007/8, saddling a total of 10 winners between both codes. His two top performers of the season were arguably the aforementioned Melon Delta, who won a bumper and a maiden hurdle, and Morgansaccord who won two bumpers before meeting with a premature end later in 2008.
Stars Emerge
The 2008/9 season was even more successful for Hanlon. A notable highlight came when Darenjan gave him his first win at the Galway Festival when comfortably winning the Cork International Airport Hotel Handicap Hurdle. Hanlon almost had another red-letter day at the Punchestown Festival, with him saddling Truckers Delight to win the valuable Masterchef Hospitality Handicap Hurdle and almost making it a famous double on the day as his Sparkling Tara failed by just ½-length when finishing second in the valuable Land Rover Bumper later on the card. However, without doubt the highlights of the season came courtesy of two emerging stars in the yard, Western Leader and Luska Lad.
Western Leader made his racecourse debut in November 2008 and by the end of the campaign, he had won two of his five starts in bumpers under his owner Barry Connell. It wasn’t until he went over hurdles in 2009/10 that he really blossomed though, with him winning the Grade 2 Michael Purcell Memorial Novice Hurdle at Thurles in February. Indeed, he would almost certainly have won the Grade 1 Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree the following April only for suffering an injury in the closing stages.
Just before Western Leader made his first appearance on the racecourse, Luska Lad had just won the second of the four bumpers he would win that season, with him also finishing second in Grade 1 and Grade 2 bumpers to stamp himself as one of the leading bumper performers in the country. However, in common with Western Leader, Luska Lad really came into his own when being sent over hurdles in 2009/10, with him winning no less than three Grade 2 novice hurdles. He continued that run of success in open hurdling company, winning the Grade 3 Ryan's Cleaning Events Specialists Hurdle at Punchestown in October 2010 and being placed in many valuable Graded contests.
Climbing The Ladder
The 2010/11 season was another one of progression and big-race success for the Hanlon yard. As well as the aforementioned win of Luska Lad in the Ryan's Cleaning Events Specialists Hurdle at Punchestown, the ever-green Truckers Delight added another big-race win to his tally in the www.thetote.com Handicap Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival. However, the season was perhaps most notable for the emergence of what could well be the Shark’s most talented horse yet, Hidden Cyclone. Having won a bumper the previous April, Hidden Cyclone embarked on a remarkable novice hurdling campaign in 2010/11, winning five of his six races including a Grade 3 and two Grade 2 contests, with his only defeat being a narrow one in Grade 1 company.
This season looks set to be the Shark’s best yet, with him already closing in on his career-best seasonal tally of winners. He enjoyed two notable highlights at the summer festivals, with Truckers Delight winning the valuable Connacht Tribune Handicap Chase at the Galway Festival and the recent recruit to the yard Alfa Beat securing a memorable success in the Kerry National at Listowel.
With the mouth-watering prospect of Hidden Cyclone being sent over fences and the longer-term prospect of running Alfa Beat in the Aintree Grand National, the Shark Hanlon looks set to remain a trainer to follow for many years to come.
Info supplied by Horse Racing Ireland - December 2011
