1. Davy Russell was born on 27 June 1979 and is an Irish retired National Hunt jockey.
18 Facts About Davy Russell
1. 2.
Davy Russell was Irish jump racing Champion Jockey three times, and won the Grand National, the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris.
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Davy Russell's father owned a few racehorses and the family walked puppies for the local hunt.
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Davy Russell rode for four years as an amateur in point-to-points in Ireland, winning his first race in February 1999.
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In 2002 Davy Russell moved to Yorkshire, England, to ride for the Irish trainer Ferdy Murphy at Middleham.
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Davy Russell gained many high-profile successes during his two seasons in England, winning the Peter Marsh Chase on Truckers Tavern in 2003 and finishing second on the same horse in that year's Cheltenham Gold Cup.
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Davy Russell had his first Cheltenham Festival win in March 2006 on the Philip Rothwell trained Native Jack in the Cross Country Chase.
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Davy Russell continued to ride for Michael O'Leary on occasion.
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An incident at Tramore Racecourse in August 2017 led to controversy when Davy Russell was caught on camera aiming a blow at the head of his mount, Kings Dolly.
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At the hearing Davy Russell argued that he had been trying to make the mare concentrate, and he criticised media coverage of the incident.
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Davy Russell won the 2018 Grand National at Aintree on 14 April on Michael O'Leary's Tiger Roll.
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At 38, Davy Russell was the oldest jockey in the race, and, at 15.2 hands, Tiger Roll was the smallest horse.
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In May 2019 Davy Russell had his first ride in the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris, sometimes known as the French Gold Cup, and won on Carriacou, trained by Isabelle Pacault.
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Davy Russell underwent surgery and needed to recuperate for months, announcing in February 2021 that he would not be fit to ride at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
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Davy Russell retired on 18 December 2022 after winning the Billy Harney Memorial Irish EBF Mares Novice Hurdle on Liberty Dance at Thurles Racecourse.
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On 11 January 2023 Davy Russell announced he would come out of retirement to help Elliott and his owners after Jack Kennedy broke his leg.
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Davy Russell is married to Edelle O'Meara, a science and maths teacher and former Irish pole vault champion.
18.
Davy Russell was one of the contestants in the seventh series of the Irish TV programme Dancing with the Stars, being eliminated in the semi-finals of the competition.