DAVY RUSSELL says he could retire a ‘happy man’ at any time now. The legendary jockey is back at the Cheltenham Festival for the first time since the horror fall that nearly ended his career.
While many believe he was mad to return, many also think he could pack it all in if Galvin, trained by his best mucker Gordon Elliott, wins Friday’s Gold Cup.
Davy Russell and Gordon Elliott are teaming up with some big chances at Cheltenham
Russell suffered terrible injuries in a fall last year
Russell himself has refused to rule that out and said: “The beauty is I could retire any morning and be happy.
“If I wake up and feel I have had enough then I have had enough. Of course, you always want to go out on a high but whenever I do call it quits there will be no regrets.”
Russell rode his first Festival winner on Native Jack in 2006 — and has banged in another 24 since then to leave him fourth on the all-time list behind Ruby Walsh (59), Barry Geraghty (43) and AP McCoy (31).
Russell spent 11 months on the sidelines after falling from Doctor Duffy in the Munster National at Limerick in October 2020.
It meant he missed the 2021 behind-closed-doors Festival and he knows how lucky he is to be riding at Cheltenham this year.
Russell said: “I’m one of the lucky ones. The surgeon told me I was in the ten per cent of people who had that injury who walk again. It’s certainly good to be in that ten per cent.
“The fall itself was a pretty simple one. It’s just that I fell badly and landed on my head which then compressed down.
“I broke one vertebrae, crushed another and dislocated another.
“I didn’t feel a lot of pain and I just thought my shoulder was broken. It was only when I got to hospital and had scans when the doctors said it was much worse.
“It certainly concentrates your mind but I have always been a very single-minded man and once I was told the news I only had one thing on my mind — to get back in the saddle.
“I admit it was harder than I thought it would be, and certainly longer than I expected but all the medical staff were fantastic.
“I had a lot of amazing support and a superb team of surgeons and nurses. My specialist was always very upbeat and positive and that helped a lot.
“It was tough, physically and mentally. I had to go into traction to stretch me out to put the dislocation back in.
“I had bolts in the side of my head and then they add water and weights. It was pretty tortuous. I had to stay still and then when I was a bit stronger I still had a lot of trouble just lifting my neck up.
“I promised myself I’d give it as long as it took, because I didn’t want to come back and not be at my best.
“It was a long road back. When you get to my age you have to be 100 per cent ready to return, and that’s why I sat on the sidelines for so long.
“Eventually when I felt up to it I schooled a few horses and one day I just felt over everything and things just clicked.
“I knew then it was time to come back so the first thing I did was renew my licence and then I rode in a race again for the first time a few days later.”
Russell was soon back in the big-race winners’ enclosure when he rode Galvin to an emotional win in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown.
He also rode his first winner on his return to Prestbury Park when Pied Pipe bolted up on Trials Day.
Russell said: “I know some people thought I was crazy to come back at my age after the injury I had but when you see all the nice horses at Gordon’s yard it makes you want to ride on.
“My bottle is intact and all the time I have nice horses to ride I think to myself why not keep going.
“Who knows, I’m only 42! Some people may think that is old but AP McCoy and Barry Geraghty reckon I will still be riding in five years’ time!
“It might be that long and it might not. I’m just happy I didn’t cop out when I had an excuse to do so.
“People can accuse me of many things but they can never accuse of me of being a wimp!”
