The continued luckless run of injuries for Jack Kennedy has opened up the door for rising jump racing star Sam Ewing to assume the role of stable jockey for Gordon Elliott and he’ll be hoping to notch up a few winners at Leopardstown’s four-day Christmas Festival.

Kennedy, 25, suffered a broken leg for the sixth time in his career at Fairyhouse last month and is set for another prolonged spell on the sideline.

Ewing, from Ballyclare, will now come in for the rides on several of Elliott’s top horses over the coming weeks and a number of Elliott’s stable stars will be in action over the next few days at the Dublin venue as they continue their preparation for the Cheltenham Festival in March.

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We’ve picked out five horses, likely to be ridden by Ewing, who could be worth following at Leopardstown’s Christmas Festival. . .

Croke Park (2/1)

Thursday, December 26, Leopardstown 2.20

Gordon Elliott saddles three of the four runners in the Racing Post Long Distance Novice Chase over three miles.

Better Days Ahead looks set to go off favourite under Danny Gilligan, but Sam Ewing has stayed loyal to Croke Park having guided the six-year-old to a brilliant success in last month’s Drinmore at Fairyhouse.

Ewing’s ride on Croke Park came in for praise from Ruby Walsh on RTÉ. He was sent off a 22/1 shot last time out and is SP is likely to be closer to 2/1 on Boxing Day.

Elliott also saddles Stellar Story while Paul John Gilligan’s Buddy one completes the line-up.

Found A Fifty (7/2)

Friday, December 27 Leopardstown 1.10

Found A Fifty is set to lock horns with Gaelic Warrior once again in what looks like a red-hot renew of the Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase.

Gordon Elliott’s seven-year-old was well beaten by Gaelic Warrior in last year’s Arkle, but won his seasonal reappearance in the Fortria Chase at Navan last month.

Willie Mullins also saddles Dinoblue while the presence of Marine Nationale and Captain Guinness, trained by Barry Connell and Henry de Bromhead respectively, means Gaelic Warrior will need to be at his brilliant best to win first time out. Sam Ewing’s mount Found A Fifty is the type who can capitalise if the favourite is below-par.

Romeo Collio (2/1)

Friday, December 27 Leopardstown 1.45

Gordon Elliott has two lively chances in the Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle with Romeo Collio and Bleu De Vassy vying for favouritism.

The former was a good winner at Down Royal on his seasonal reappearance before finishing second in the Royal Bond at Fairyhouse last month.

Bleu De Vassy has two wins already this season while Willie Mullins unleashes French recruit Karniquet in what looks a typically-competitive renewal of a race which has been won by the likes of Facile Vega, Appreciate It and Mighty Potter in recent years.

Sam Ewing has opted to ride Romeo Collio who was also second in last season’s Champion Bumper at Cheltenham with the winner, Jasmin De Vaux, giving that form a boost by winning first time out at Navan earlier this month.

Gerri Colombe (8/1)

Saturday, December 28 Leopardstown 2.35

The highlight of Leopardstown’s four-day Christmas Festival is the Grade One Savills Chase with the Willie Mullins duo Fact To File and Galopin Des Champs set for a mouth-watering rematch.

The two-time Gold Cup winner had his colours lowered by his younger stablemate in the John Durkan at Punchestown last month with Spillane’s Tower splitting the pair.

Spillane’s Tower is an intended runner in the King George at Kempton on Boxing Day, but could run at Leopardstown if the ground isn’t in his favour.

Gerri Colombe is something of a forgotten horse in the race after a disappointing seasonal reappearance in the Champion Chase at Down Royal at the beginning of November.

Gordon Elliott said something was amiss that day and Gerri Colombe’s form last spring would give him an each-way in this having finished second in the Gold Cup behind Galopin Des Champs before winning the William Hill Bowl Chase in Aintree.

Brighterdaysahead

Sunday, December 29 Leopardstown 2.30

Not to be confused with the similarly named Better Days Ahead, Brighterdaysahead also holds an entry in the Grade One Savills Hurdle over three-miles on Saturday.

However, it would be a surprise if Gordan Elliott’s star mare doesn’t line up in the Neville Hotels Hurdle on Sunday for another crack at champion hurdler State Man.

Brighterdaysahead has already inflicted one defeat on the Willie Mullins-trained seven-year-old, although the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown in November was State Man’s first run of the season.

Gordon Elliott has already stated that Brighterdaysahead is likely to go to the Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival providing Lossiemouth remains on course for the Champion Hurdle.

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