Gordon Elliott facing rider crisis with Sam Ewing set to miss the rest of the season with broken arm

Sam Ewing, one of Gordon Elliott’s main riders, is likely to miss the remainder of the season after having surgery on the arm he broke at Musselburgh on Friday.

The news is another blow for the yard, with stable jockey Jack Kennedy still sidelined by the broken leg that kept him out of the Cheltenham Festival and Davy Russell, who came out of retirement to plug the gap left by Kennedy, yet to return after standing himself down on the final day of the festival. Jordan Gainford, who has ridden 19 winners for the Cullentra stable in Ireland this season, is also on the sidelines having not ridden for two weeks since falling from Riviere D'Etel in the Mares' Chase at Cheltenham.

Ewing showcased his talents at the festival, where he rode Conflated to an excellent third in the Gold Cup and finished second on Affordale Fury in the Albert Bartlett.

The 18-year-old broke his arm after being unseated from Poppy Rose in a mares' handicap hurdle. The Stuart Crawford-trained six-year-old appeared to catch her hind legs at the sixth flight, ejecting Ewing over her head.

Ewing said: “Unfortunately I broke my arm. I have had surgery and hopefully should be on the mend now.”

The Antrim-based teenager was a prominent figure on the pony racing circuit, notching more than 100 winners in that sphere before beginning his career as a Flat jockey, riding his first winner aboard Ardhoomey for Ger Lyons at Cork in August 2020.

He rode 70 winners on the Flat in Ireland before turning his attention to jumps. He has ridden five winners from 223 rides in Ireland so far this season, three of which have been for Elliott.

Elliott has ten runners across two cards at Limerick and Naas on Thursday, with the rides split between Michael O'Sullivan, Denis O'Regan, Jody McGarvey, Corey McGivern, Kieren Buckley, and Danny Gilligan.

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