At the time of writing, Davy Russell has just become Irish champion jump jockey for the third time, following back-to-back titles in 2011/12 and 2012/13. Reflecting on the year, Russell said, “It’s been a fantastic year. I suppose we started off there just to try to get the wheels back in motion and we had a very good summer and obviously Gordon [Elliott] has been such a huge help to me.”
Russell, 38, also hit the headlines recently when partnering Tiger Roll to a dramatic victory in the Grand National at Aintree. Having joined the leader, travelling strongly, at the third last fence, Tiger Roll was 6 lengths clear at the Elbow, halfway up the run-in, but Pleasant Company rallied bravely in the last half a furlong and Tiger Roll only just held on to win by a head, all out.
The Grand National victory, his first, was all the more poignant for the fact that, between 2007 and 2013, Russell was retained jockey for Michael O’Leary, owner of the Gigginstown House Stud and many top-class horses, including Tiger Roll, before losing his position to Bryan Cooper. Russell accepted his share of responsibility for the split, but admitted that subsequently he “had to start afresh”.
Originally from Youghal, County Cork, Russell rode his first winner, Right’N’Royal, for Michael J. O’Connor in a handicap hurdle at Gowran Park in May, 1999. He rode his first Grade 1 winner, The Railway Man, for Arthur Moore in the Dr. P.J. Moriarty Novice Chase at Leopardstown in February, 2006, and his first Cheltenham Festival winner, on Native Jack for Philip Rothwell in the Sporting Index Handicap Chase a month later.
All in all, Russell has ridden 22 winners at the Cheltenham Festival, including 2014 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Lord Windermere; in 2018, he rode four winners and became leading rider at the Festival for the first time.
