IT was just after 9pm last night when the racing world briefly went into meltdown as Davy Russell’s astonishing return was confirmed.
Only 23 days earlier, after riding one final – final at that time, at least – winner, he was back.
Elliott knew, with the season’s biggest contests coming up and without his top jockey, that he had to bring Russell back
A two-time Grand National hero, a man who doesn’t suffer fools gladly, a man Elliott still needed.
Russell released a statement explaining his decision. He wrote a blog post. He appeared on a popular podcast.
He spoke a lot of words but didn’t say a whole lot about how long he will be back for.
He insists he is just ‘filling in’ for Jack Kennedy until he recovers from a broken leg for the fifth time at the age of just 23.
But nestled in among all the talk of the Festival and possibly Aintree and the Grand National was one really telling line.
It came in Russell’s piece with Star Sports.
He described how Elliott – who heads a ‘close team’ at his Cullentra base – asked him to come back and help ride a few.
Then Russell said: “There are so many young talented pilots in Gordon’s and their days will come for sure.
“It’s just a bit early for some of the more high-profile horses and that’s where I am happy to help.”
You might wonder how Elliott’s back-up team of Jordan Gainford, Sam Ewing and Denis O’Regan would feel reading that.
Five big horses Russell could ride at Cheltenham
Delta Work – Cross Country Chase
Maxxum – Pertemps
Mighty Potter – Turners
Conflated – Gold Cup
Gerri Colombe – Brown Advisory
That rather than get promoted in Kennedy’s absence, an old hand – Russell is 43 – has been asked to return.
But really it goes to show how Russell was held in such high esteem till the very end, when Kennedy had already replaced him as top dog.
One of the golden age of jumps jockeys alongside AP McCoy, Ruby Walsh and Barry Geraghty, Russell said when he thought he really had retired that he was proud he had never lost his bottle.
Now high-profile, big-spending owners such as Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary of Gigginstown, and Cauldwell Construction and Bective Stud, will hope that is still the case.
In truth there is no reason why it shouldn’t be.
Russell has been busy riding horses at Elliott’s HQ.
And though he allowed himself a first Christmas in decades without worrying about his weight, didn’t go too overboard.
First up will be next month’s Dublin Racing Festival, then onto Cheltenham and whatever happens beyond.
Racing is only just coming to terms with this year being Frankie Dettori’s last in the saddle.
Yet one publication wondered if Russell’s return could be compared to another icon of the Flat.
Lester Piggott famously came out of retirement to win the 1990 Breeders’ Cup Mile.
OK, so Piggott was 55 and hadn’t long been released from prison.
Russell’s situation is nowhere near as extreme.
But given how loved jumps jockeys and horses often are to their flat counterparts, it’s fair to suggest a Festival winner for the great man would mean just as much to some.
