Davy Russell admitted he felt his career was over after last month’s Cheltenham but the veteran jockey will target more Grand National glory following a Grade 1 success at Aintree on Friday.
After the former triple-champion jockey retired in December he was enticed back to the saddle to fill in for the injured Jack Kennedy only to endure a frustrating Cheltenham where he ultimately stood himself down due to injury.
Gordon Elliott’s powers of persuasion had to be employed again to get Russell back for Liverpool.
However, it paid off as the 43-year-old rider landed the big novices chase on the 4-6 favourite Gerri Colombe and Russell, twice a National winner on Tiger Roll, can now look forward to teaming up with Galvin in Saturday’s big race.
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“Gordon was the instigator. I was finished and he wasn’t happy with me finishing the way I finished. I was done, I was finished – again! And he wasn’t happy with the way the ending was and he said he wanted me to ride here,” Russell explained.
“It’s a tough sport, there are no pats on the back at all – you’re up, you’re down, you’re in, you’re out. You never get a pat on the back, you just have to keep moving on to the next day.
“When someone as high-profile as Gordon gives you a pat on the back or kick in the backside that you need, that’s the part of your career you have, you make it work,” added the Cork man.
A sting in the tail for Russell that could prove academic was a two-day suspension for careless riding.
There was Grade 1 success too for the Rachael Blackmore/Henry de Bromhead team as Inthepocket justified 3-1 favouritism in the two-mile novice hurdle while rain-softened ground proved no problem to John McConnell’s Fennor Cross in an earlier handicap hurdle.
Fakir D’Oudairies came up short in is hat-trick attempt in the Marsh Chase behind Pic D’orhy.
