Davy Russell
Davy Russell after riding Solwhit in the 2009 WBX Fighting Fifth Hurdle
OccupationJockey
Born (1979-06-27) 27 June 1979
Youghal, County Cork, Ireland
Honours
Irish jump racing Champion Jockey (2011–12), (2012–13), (2017–2018)
Significant horses
Weapon's Amnesty, War of Attrition, Solwhit, Forpadydeplasterer, Back In Front, Sir Des Champs, Lord Windermere, Tiger Roll.

Davy Russell (born 27 June 1979)[1] is an Irish retired National Hunt jockey. He was Irish jump racing Champion Jockey three times, and won the Grand National (twice), the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris.

Childhood and amateur career

Russell was born David Niall Russell, the second youngest of six children, and raised on the farm of his parents Jerry and Phyllis Russell in Youghal, County Cork, Ireland . His father owned a few racehorses and the family walked puppies for the local hunt. As a child Russell’s passions were riding his pony, hurling, and helping his father with his horses.[2][3]

Russell rode for four years as an amateur in point-to-points in Ireland, winning his first race in February 1999. During this period he also went hunting and worked in a fish factory.[2][3][4]

Professional career

In 2002 Russell moved to Yorkshire, England, to ride for the Irish trainer Ferdy Murphy at Middleham.[2] Russell's first win as a professional jockey was on Inn Antique in a novice hurdle at Sedgefield, 12 November 2002. He gained many high-profile successes during his two seasons in England, winning the Peter Marsh Chase on Truckers Tavern in 2003 and also finishing second on the same horse in that year's Cheltenham Gold Cup. Other valuable wins on Murphy’s horses came on Tribal Venture, Ballinclay King and Historg. His first win as a professional in Ireland came on Colonel Monroe on 29 December 2002.

After 14 months with Murphy he returned to Ireland and spent a season with Edward O'Grady and then two years as a freelance jockey. He had his first Cheltenham Festival win in March 2006 on the Philip Rothwell trained Native Jack in the Cross Country Chase. Except for 2019, he then had at least one winner at the festival every year up to 2020, with his victories including the Gold Cup in 2014 on Lord Windermere,[3] and a record three wins in the Coral Cup. In 2018 he won the leading jockey award at Cheltenham.[5] Injury kept him having any rides at the festival in 2021.[6]

In September 2007 he was invited to become Michael O'Leary's stable jockey at Gigginstown House Stud, a position he held until he was sacked after a win and over a cup of tea at Punchestown Racecourse on New Year’s Eve 2013. He continued, however, to ride for Michael O'Leary on occasion.[7]

Russell was champion Irish National Hunt jockey in 2011/12 and 2012/13, having been runner-up the five previous seasons.[2] In August 2017 he rode Balko Des Flos to win the Galway Plate for the first time to add to his two Galway Hurdle wins of previous years.[8]

An incident at Tramore Racecourse in August 2017 led to controversy when Russell was caught on camera aiming a blow at the head of his mount, Kings Dolly, when she was playing up before the start of a race. Initially Russell was given a caution; this was later changed to a four-day suspension. At the hearing Russell argued that he had been trying to make the mare concentrate, and he criticised media coverage of the incident.[9] He was champion Irish National Hunt jockey for the third time in 2017/18.[1]

Russell won the 2018 Grand National at Aintree on 14 April on Michael O'Leary's Tiger Roll. At 38, Russell was the oldest jockey in the race, and, at 15.2 hands, Tiger Roll was the smallest horse. It was Russell’s 14th ride in the Grand National.[7] In 2019 Russell and Tiger Roll again won the Grand National, with Russell becoming the first jockey since Brian Fletcher on Red Rum in 1974 to win back-to-back Grand Nationals on the same horse. [10]

In May 2019 Russell had his first ride in the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris, sometimes known as the French Gold Cup, and won on Carriacou, trained by Isabelle Pacault.[11]

A fall in the Munster National at Limerick on 11 October 2020 left Russell with a serious vertebrae injury. He underwent surgery and needed to recuperate for months, announcing in February 2021 that he would not be fit to ride at the Cheltenham Festival in March.[6]

Russell retired on 18 December 2022 after winning the Billy Harney Memorial Irish EBF Mares Novice Hurdle on Liberty Dance at Thurles Racecourse.[12] On 11 January 2023 Russell announced he would come out of retirement to help Elliott and his owners after Jack Kennedy broke his leg. Four days later he rode his first winner since his return when Sa Fureur won a maiden hurdle at Punchestown.[13]

After a disappointing Cheltenham Festival, a back injury sidelined Russell until the Grand National meeting at Aintree, where he rode two Grade 1 winners before being unseated at the first fence on Galvin in the Grand National.[14] In his final race he came fifth on Pour Les Filles in the Champion Standard Open NH Flat Race on the same day.[15]

Retirement

Following his retirement from race riding, Russell continued to breed and trade young horses as he had done for some years. In an interview with Racing Post he spoke of the need for jockeys to gain qualifications to use after retirement, and his own regret at not having gained an HGV licence.[16]

Personal life

Russell is married to Edelle O’Meara, a science and maths teacher and former Irish pole vault champion. The couple live in Youghal and have five children. Russell also has a daughter Jaimee from a previous relationship.[4][16]

Together with trainer Jim Bolger, Russell organises an annual celebrity hurling match in aid of the Irish Cancer Society. By 2019 the match had raised a total of over €1 million for cancer research.[17]

TV

Russell featured in a TG4 documentary called Jump Boys. It followed the journeys of Ruby Walsh, Barry Geraghty and Russell over the course of the 2011/12 season. It aired on 28 November 2012.[18] In 2013 he appeared in the documentary The Irish Road To Cheltenham, shown on RTÉ One television in Ireland.[19]

In December 2023 he was revealed as one of the contestants in the seventh series of the Irish TV programme Dancing with the Stars.[20]

Cheltenham Festival winners

Cheltenham Festival winners (22)
YearRaceMount
2006Glenfarclas Cross Country ChaseNative Jack
2007Festival Trophy Handicap ChaseJoes Edge
2008Coral CupNaiad Du Missleot
Grand Annual ChaseTiger Cry
2009Albert Bartlett Novices' HurdleWeapons Amnesty
2010RSA Insurance Novices' ChaseWeapons Amnesty
2011Coral CupCarlito Brigante
Neptune Investment Management Novices' HurdleFirst Lieutenant
2012JLT Novices' ChaseSir Des Champs
2013RSA Insurance Novices' ChaseLord Windermere
2014Triumph HurdleTiger Roll
Cheltenham Gold CupLord Windermere
Grand Annual ChaseSavello
2015Glenfarclas Cross Country ChaseRivage D'Or
Neptune Investment Management Novices' HurdleWindsor Park
2016Coral CupDiamond King
Pertemps FinalMall Dini
2017Pertemps FinalPresenting Percy
2018RSA Insurance Novices' ChasePresenting Percy
Ryanair ChaseBalko Des Flos
Pertemps FinalDelta Work
Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable PlateThe Storyteller
2020Ballymore Novices' HurdleEnvoi Allen
Marsh Novices' ChaseSamcro
Johnny Henderson Grand Annual ChaseChosen Mate

Other major wins

Republic of Ireland Ireland

United Kingdom Great Britain

France France

References

  1. 1 2 "Davy Russell". Horse Racing Ireland. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Kimmage, Paul (22 December 2013). "That fear is always there". Irish Independent.
  3. 1 2 3 Armytage, Marcus (4 March 2018). "Davy Russell looking to continue Cheltenham Festival winning streak". The Daily Telegraph.
  4. 1 2 Coughlan, Dave (14 March 2016). "Inside Davy Russell: a day in the life of a Gold Cup winning jockey". Buzz.ie.
  5. ↑ "Cheltenham Festival: Gordon Elliott and Davy Russell win top trainer and jockey awards". Sporting Life. 16 March 2018. Retrieved 15 April 2018.
  6. 1 2 "Davy Russell loses race to be fit for Cheltenham Festival on medical advice". Racing Post. 18 February 2021.
  7. 1 2 Keogh, Frank (14 April 2018). "Grand National: Story behind Tiger Roll's emotional win for Davy Russell". BBC Sport.
  8. ↑ "Davy Russell". Racing Post. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  9. ↑ Brown, Luke (6 September 2017). "Davy Russell attacks "unacceptable and disgraceful" media coverage of controversial horse punch hearing". The Independent.
  10. ↑ "Grand National 2019: Tiger Roll wins the big race again at Aintree – as it happened". The Guardian. 6 April 2019.
  11. ↑ "Davy Russell: Jockey claims landmark French Gold Cup win on Carriacou at Auteuil". BBC Sport. 19 May 2019.
  12. ↑ Allwood, Harry (18 December 2022). "Davy Russell announces retirement from the saddle". Racing TV.
  13. ↑ "'This is what it's all about' - Davy Russell has first winner since shock return". Racing Post. 15 January 2023.
  14. ↑ "'This really puts a shine on it' - Davy Russell announces second retirement following victory on Irish Point". Racing Post. 15 April 2023.
  15. ↑ "Davy Russell: 'Lucinda Russell proved she's marvellous at Aintree'". Horse & Hound. 26 April 2023.
  16. 1 2 "I used to go home to bed and sleep for an hour after riding out - that's time I should have been using to upskill". Racing Post. 25 October 2023.
  17. ↑ "Davy Russell calls for Normal People star to support Hurling for Cancer drive". Racing Post. 31 July 2020.
  18. ↑ "Ruby Walsh, Barry Geraghty & Davy Russell TG4 Doc Nears Completion | The Irish Film & Television Network". Iftn.ie. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  19. ↑ "Limerick Jockey to appear on RTE". Limerick Post. 28 February 2013. Archived from the original on 7 March 2013. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  20. ↑ "Davy Russell to follow in footsteps of Nina Carberry and participate in Ireland's Dancing with the Stars in 2024". Racing Post. 5 December 2023.
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