‘To have created history is very special’: Grand National and Gold Cup-winning jockey retires from ‘dream’ career aged 43

One of the most successful jump jockeys of all time, Davy Russell, has retired from the sport at the age of 43.

The dual Grand National and Gold Cup-winning jockey announced his departure from the weighing room after riding a winner for trainer Gordon Elliott at Thurles racecourse on Sunday (18 December).

“I suppose since I broke my neck [in 2020] it was always on the cards that I’d be going sooner rather than later,” Davy told H&H. “But thankfully I was able to get back to ride and enjoy the last couple of years. It would have been an awful shame to have had to bow out through an injury.

“I definitely wasn’t going to become a better rider and you never want to go downhill, so I was just happy that it felt like the right time. I was in a lovely position to be able to ask Gordon for a nice horse to ride, so it was perfect [to finish with a winner]. I was very lucky – not everybody is able to call on the quality of horses that I was able to call on.”

The Elliott-trained Liberty Dance was Davy’s 1,579th winner in an outstanding career that has spanned more than two decades. He rode his first winner under Rules in 1999, and went on to win back-to-back Grand Nationals in 2018 and 2019 on Tiger Roll, and the 2014 Gold Cup on Lord Windermere. He rode a total of 25 Cheltenham Festival winners, becoming well known for his trademark wave to the heavens. He won the Irish jockeys’ championship three times and ranks as the ninth most successful jockey of all time.

“There was any amount of stand-out moments but winning the Gold Cup was very special, as was winning the jockeys’ championships, but every individual winner from my first to my last, and my first Grade One winner, were all very special at the time,” said Davy. “I was very lucky that I appreciated them when they happened.

“But I suppose it’s hard to get away from Tiger Roll. To win one Grand National is something else, but to do it back to back and create history was very special. Growing up, Red Rum was a household name and it was very nice to be associated with another horse that became a household name, too.”

Jockey Davy Russell: ‘The next step was always the dream’

When looking back to the early days of this incredible journey, Davy said: “You have to remember, I was actually quite happy riding as an amateur, riding point-to-points and bumpers and hunter chases and I felt like I was achieving plenty by doing that. But then to make the next step – that was always the dream, but I didn’t really think it was going to be possible. I was lucky to meet such wonderful people, who gave me such wonderful opportunities, and I’ve ridden an awful lot of winners, so it’s been fantastic.”

Although he is hanging up his riding boots, Davy plans to continue his involvement with Gordon Elliott’s Co. Meath stables.

“He has some very good horses so it’s just nice to be around them,” he said. “I do enjoy being at the sales and buying and selling horses, and I have plenty of broodmares so I’ll carry on breeding; it’s small but we’ve had a bit of success recently with horses we’ve bred.”

Davy won a handicap hurdle recently on one of his homebreds, Riaan, who is trained by Gordon Elliott, and a filly he bred named Media Naranja (Yeats ex Inch Native) won a three-year-old maiden race on the flat in France.

“She looks to be nice and Gordon is after buying her,” explained Davy. “I foaled and reared her and did everything here at home, so moments like that are really special.”

Marking the end of an incredible era for some of the greatest jump jockeys the sport has ever seen, his weighing room colleagues were quick to pay tribute to the legendary Davy Russell; James Bowen called him “the best jockey I’ve ever ridden against” while Barry Geraghty said he was “a brilliant jockey, competitor and had an amazing career” adding: “You have a lot to be proud of, you always kept us on our toes”. Trainer Gordon Elliott, whom was a an amateur rider alongside Davy in their early careers, said: “A great friend and an even better jockey.”

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