Ulster teen Sam Ewing out to make a major impact at Chelteham Festival

Teenage Ulster jockey Sam Ewing will get the chance to put his name in lights with two rides on the Cheltenham Festival’s opening day.

The 19-year-old from Templepatrick is a rising star of the sport and swings into action when he rides Effernock Fizz in the big Arkle Chase, the second race of the Festival.

Willie Mullins’ El Fabiolo and Nicky Henderson’s Jonbon are at the head of the betting for a contest worth £100,000 to the winner.

Ewing is also down to ride Gordons Aura in today’s Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle for top trainer Gordon Elliott.

Ewing is a product of the pony racing circuit prior to being tutored by top flat trainer Ger Lyons and rode over 60 winners on the flat before concentrating on jump racing.

He is steeped in the sport as his father Warren was a former champion rider on the northern circuit who now trains, and his horse Brain Power has an entry for the Foxhunters on Friday afternoon.

Ewing junior rode his first winner on the racecourse when partnering the Lyons-trained Ardhoomey to success in a sprint handicap at Cork in August 2020 in only his 10th ride.

The likes of Master Matt, Saltonstall and Maker Of Kings gave young Ewing some notable success early on and the former credited him with his first Listed race victory at Tipperary in August 2021.

Other local riders in the saddle today include experienced duo Noel McParlan and Declan Lavery, both in action in the closing National Hunt Chase for big guns Mullins and Elliott respectively.

Newry jockey McParlan partners the promising Tenzing while Downpatrick rider Lavery is on board Fakiera in the hunt for success.

Sean Houlihan will ride Straw Fan for trainer Sheila Lewis in the Arkle Chase.

Lewis was working in a beauty salon as recently as 2020 to earn enough money to support her small yard, but now works full-time as a trainer.

“We’re very lucky to have a lovely horse in Straw Fan Jack,” said Lewis.

“In 2020 when Covid-19 hit the salon was closed and I was able to sort of focus more on the horses.

“We had a bumper season, we had six horses in training and we had 12 winners including a treble at Hereford.

“So that kind of gave me the leap of faith to leave the salon and start training. I’ve now got 15 horses.

“We always knew he was really good at chasing,” Lewis continued.

“We kept him over hurdles, because he’s quite a backward type, so he’s gone into this novice chasing year as an eight-year-old so he’s big and strong.

“We kind of go in there with maybe a chance of running into a place hopefully depending on how things go.

“But to win it? I can’t let myself think that I’m going to win it otherwise I’ll get really disappointed if I don’t.

“It’s a dream come true for me really.

“To be working in a beauty salon eight years ago, and as recently as 2020, and to now have a runner going to Cheltenham, it’s just like the opposite sides of the coin really.