Ewing prolongs Leopardstown delight
Jockey follows up unlikely treble with Grade 1 win
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Sam Ewing completed a 12,662-1 treble on Saturday before guiding Affordale Fury to victory
Sam Ewing’s Christmas to remember showed no signs of slowing down as he guided Affordale Fury to victory in the Grade 1 Savills Chase.
Ewing had enjoyed a stellar day two at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival, completing an unlikely 12,662-1 treble, and he backed that up by leading home the Noel Meade-trained seven-year-old ahead of I am Maximus and Galopin des Champs, racing for the first time this season.
Ewing was only given the ride because Donagh Meyler had picked up a suspension for careless riding at Navan, and took full advantage of the opportunity on the 7-1 shot.
Speaking to Racing TV, Ewing said: "It's absolutely surreal and my heart goes out to Donagh. It was his ride and unfortunately for him, he's suspended, and it's really been a week of fortune for me. Joseph [O'Brien], Noel and Gordon [Elliott], I've had fantastic support off them all week, and I'm over the moon.
"I rode him last week and he was in good form. It wasn't the initial plan to make the running, but I jumped the first so well and he took me there. He was travelling and jumping fence to fence, and when Paul came to me, I gave him a slap down the neck, and he was right back on it. He was very tough and it was a good race.
"He probably has fitness on some of the others, which went to his advantage, but he's improving run to run, and I don't see why he can't be a Gold Cup horse."Affordale Fury captures the Savills Chase @LeopardstownRC 🏆 pic.twitter.com/EU0CAORBOi
— Horse Racing Ireland (@HRIRacing) December 28, 2025
This ended a run of seven successive victories for Galopin Des Champs at Leopardstown, but Willie Mullins was not disheartened given the context.
He said: “I was very happy with him. He looked once or twice like he was going to win and it was just the lack of a race got him.
“For a first run of the season I thought it was a great run. I think he will improve after that, he took a couple of good blows, and it's very hard to come here for this race without a run.”Victory for Teahupoo 👊
— Horse Racing Ireland (@HRIRacing) December 28, 2025
Congratulations to Jack Kennedy and Gordon Elliott for their win in the Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown 👏#RacingRunsInUs pic.twitter.com/ALrYj2xbaD
Having enjoyed a stellar festival to date, Gordon Elliott picked up a couple more winners, including Teahupoo in the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle, with Jack Kennedy on board, having also guided home Lazare de Star in the Savills Maiden Hurdle for Elliott.
The Nagger Reidy, 9-2 favourite, triumphed in the Mercedes Benz South Dublin Handicap Hurdle for Stephen Gerard Carey before the Henry de Bromhead-trained Koktail Divin won the Ballymaloe Relish Rising Stars Beginners Chase.
The Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle was won by Duke Silver, a 25-1 shot winner for Joseph O’Brien, with Mullins finishing the day on a high note as Bentraghhill took the Forest Fest INH Flat Race.