Davy Russell had called time on his riding career last month after riding Liberty Dance to victory at Thurles; however, injury to Gordon Elliott's stable rider Jack Kennedy has meant Russell has been persuaded to come out of retirement on a short-term basis
Thursday 12 January 2023 09:22, UK
Davy Russell is to come out of retirement to cover for Jack Kennedy while the current Irish championship leader is on the sidelines with a broken leg.
Russell only retired last month, after riding a winner on Liberty Dance at Thurles on December 18.
The 43-year-old - who won the Grand National twice on Tiger Roll and the Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Lord Windermere - had been a key part of the riding team at Gordon Elliott's along with Kennedy.
However, with Kennedy now out of action in the lead up to the big spring festivals, Russell has reversed his decision and will resume his career at Fairyhouse on Saturday.
In a statement issued on his behalf, Russell said: "After meeting with Gordon today, I have decided to come out of retirement and ride for the short period while Jack is on the sidelines.
"It's only been a matter of weeks since I retired, and I actually rode more out this morning than I have in many years.
"We are a close team in Cullentra and after what happened last weekend, I want to help the team through a difficult few weeks.
"The plan is to resume riding in Fairyhouse on Saturday and Punchestown on Sunday."
Barry Geraghty, whose own retirement from the saddle came in July 2020 after a glittering career that saw him win all the major Cheltenham Festival races at least twice, was not shocked by Russell's about-turn, even if it is a temporary one.
"I wasn't surprised," said Geraghty. "My wife said to me when I told her last night that Davy was coming back, she said it was the first thing I'd said after I got a text on Sunday evening saying what Jack had done. That is a reflection of knowing the beast, if you like.
"When you have a chance to ride those good horses at Cheltenham, it is worth doing if you are Davy.
"He is 43 and has been through the wars, but he did catch a lot of people by surprise retiring when he did, mid-season, because it is a bit like a footballer retiring mid-season. It would be as if Ronaldo retired and then a position became available.
"At least there's closure at the end of the season and there is a certain level of time before the good racing gets back, and you get to detox a little bit.
"I thought it was a very good chance it would happen and I'm not surprised at all. Davy is very driven and there is still ambition there, and it probably wasn't being fulfilled.
"That was possibly why he retired more than anything else."
