DerekO’Connor Straight to thePoint EwingonarollasRockMyWay hits number oneatCheltenham

HOME and away, Saturdaywas agood dayfor Warren Ewing. He saddled two winners at Tyrellaand Rock My Way, one of his winning graduates from the autumn campaign,captureda Grade2 novice hurdle at Cheltenham on onlyhis second startfor owner-trainer Syd Hosie.

As I’msureeveryone knows, Warren producedlastseason’s brilliantSupreme Novices’winner and potential superstarConstitution Hill, who finishedsecond in a maiden pointatTipperarybefore beingsoldfor £120,000 at the Goffs UK Spring Sale in May2021.

Nowitlooks as if he hasanother horsetofly theflagfor him in one of the Grade 1novice hurdles at Cheltenham. Rock My Wayisentered in theBallymoreand theAlbert Bartlett.

He rantwice in points lastseason. He waspulledupfirsttime outat Ballycahane beforeshowing plenty of promisewith athirdplace behind It’s ForMeatLoughanmoreinthe middle of April.

Anyone payingattention to this season’sbumpers will appreciate the significance of the formbecause

StuartCrawford’s ten-length winner It’s ForMeisnow headingto Cheltenham after abrilliant display at Navanonhis firststartfor Willie Mullins

Warren hadRockMyWay ready for the startofthe season and he puthis experience to good usewhen beating aColin Bowe-trainedfavourite at Castletown-Geoghegan.

He made £90,000 at the sales in November and startedfor his new stable with an excellentrun in a maiden at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day. He wasa66-1 chance but threw down abig challengetothe favourite,Weveallbeencaught, another ex-Irish pointwinner,who wasGrade 2-placed behind Hermes Allen in November

When Inoticedthat Rock My Way is outofanunracedmarebyOld Vic Ihad alookfurther backinthe pedigree. Ididn’t expecttofind a connection with one of the greatest jumpstrainersofall time and one of the world’stop Flat jockeys

Sometimes you come acrossodd little gems of informationwhen doingpedigreeresearch.This was one suchcasebecause FarRock’s dam wasMissFara, who wonthe Cesarewitch forMartin Pipein2002, ridden by 5lb claimer Ryan Moore.

As far as Iknow, it washis first majorwinner.And nowthis maybethe firsttime Ryan hasgot amention in apoint-to-point column.

Dara McGill,who rode Rock My Waytowin at CastletownGeoghegan, broughthis total for the season to nine with aTyrella double on Warren’s pair,newcomer BectiveAbbey in the five-year-old geldings maiden and Brain Powerinthe open. Four of Dara’s wins have come on Brain Power, winner of the 2019 American Grand National Hurdle at FarHills duringhis days with Nicky Henderson. He wasn’t an immediate successinpoint-to-points duringthe 2021 autumn campaign,but turneda corner with aTyrella win12months agoand hasgone from strength to strength

He beat Hardline at Borris House inDecemberand wasmuch too good forSamurai Crackerin Saturday’srace.Hedeservestotake his chance at Cheltenham.

BectiveAbbey,byMahler outofa Flemensfirth mare, made agood impression. Herdam,Sizing Kimberlite, ranonlyonce for Henry de Bromhead in the colours of the late Ann and Alan Potts, buthas a lovely pedigree.

From the familyofCab On Target, she’s ahalf-sister to Kilmurry,who wona point-to-pointatLismoreand wasatalentednovicechaser, firstfor Henryand then for Colin Tizzard, beforesufferingafatal injurywhen battlingitout with Finian’sOscar in the KingmakerChase at Warwick.

Sunday’sfive-year-old maidens alsofeaturedgood performances.

Ismael, aCoastal Path gelding boughtatthe Goffs Land Roversale, made abrightstarttohis career at Ballyvodock. TrainedbyDeclan Queallyand ridden by Chris O’Donovan, he made almostall to winby12lengths

Thefive-year-old maiden at Cragmorewas woningood styleby the Colin Bowe-trainednewcomer Workahead. He’s ason of Workforce, the 2010 Derbywinner, who came backfromJapan to stand at Knockhouse Stud in 2017and is makingagood reputation.

He’s responsible for one of the mostexcitingmaiden winners from the autumn campaign,Working Away,who took amares’maiden at Tattersalls Farm in Octoberfor Denis Murphyand wassoldtojoin Gordon Elliottfor £330,0000.

Themareshe beat, Bold Reflection, is another successstory for the Ewingnursery.She changed hands for £140,000 at Cheltenham in November and made aperfect start forJohnMcConnell when winninga bumper by ninelengths on the first dayofLimerick’sChristmas meeting. Breakthrough winners for Nugent and Hyde

I’malwayshappy to see young riders becomingestablished,but Igot a specialkickout of afirstwin for 20-year-old Evan Nugent in amaiden at Cragmore on Sunday, on account of the fact that Itrained his mount, NowIsThe Hour

Evan is ahardworkerand deservedthis successwhichcame on his ninth ride and after three seconds on amarecalledFindingFame.

Sundaywas alsoabig dayfor Daniel Hyde,who rode his first point-to-pointwinneronFocus Point, trainedbyhis grandfather TimmyHyde, at Ballyvodock. He has ridden twobumperwinners and is following agreat family tradition. Amongthe senior riders, Johnny Barrytookthe main honours, with a winner at Tyrellaand atreble at Ballyvodock, includingtwo winners for handler MaikeMagnussen,who is havingagood season.

Hersix-year-old Ivawood gelding BustyBoy hasnow wonthree of his lastfourraces,and her first-time-out maiden winner BridgetMaryisa promisingmareout of Leanne,who wonfourraces over fences for the late Bill Harney.

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