Monday 21 March 2016 15:18, UK
Davy Russell does not blame the ground for Don Poli's Gold Cup eclipse last week but rather that he finished third in a well above-average renewal of the race.
Racing on much quicker ground than he is used to, last season's RSA Chase winner was in the rear before staying on into third place, 10 lengths behind stablemate Djakadam with impressive winner Don Cossack a further four and a half in front of him.
"It wasn't that he didn't handle the ground, they went so quick I could never get back into it," Russell said.
"I went to jump off behind the leaders and by the time we got to the first bend I was out of my ground and chasing him the whole way.
"He stayed on well. He's a good horse, I just think it was an extra-good Gold Cup.
"There was no disgrace, he finished well and stayed very well. Don Cossack is an exceptional horse, we always felt he was and Gordon (Elliott) has done a marvellous job with him. Djakadam is a very good horse and I just felt it was a very good Gold Cup."
Russell did have two winners at the meeting, teaming up with Elliott to win the Coral Cup with Diamond King.
"We went over there hoping the drier ground would bring about the improvement that we needed and it surely did," he told At The Races.
"I had to ride him to take a chance and at one stage it looked like the gaps might not appear but thankfully they did, they usually do when you have a horse with a bit of pace."
Russell was also seen to great effect on Pertemps Final winner Mall Dini, trained by Pat Kelly.
"Philip (Reynolds, owner) has been a great supporter of mine and Pat has done a fantastic job, he was only a novice and we weren't sure if he had enough experience for a place like Cheltenham and a race like the Pertemps but he duly obliged," said Russell.
"He met the likes of Yorkhill and beat one of Willie's (Haymount) at Thurles and then went down the handicap route and just came up short a couple of times.
"We just felt on drier ground, Pat put the tongue tie on and all those things combined mind a difference.
"He's a natural jumper and I'd say we wouldn't be waiting too long over hurdles - if he jumps a fence the way he jumps a hurdle he could be a nice horse."
