DAVY RUSSELL HAS responded to Michael O’Leary’s suggestion that the jockey should not have come out of retirement earlier this year.
Russell announced his retirement a week before Christmas last year, bringing the curtain down on a glittering career after a victory at Thurles.
It proved to be a short-lived retirement, he returned to the saddle in January after Jack Kennedy broke his leg, Russell filling the vacancy that had been created for trainer Gordon Elliott.
In an interview during ITV Racing’s Cheltenham coverage this week, O’Leary described Russell as ‘a brilliant jockey’ but felt he should have remained in retirement.
"He has nothing to achieve by coming back and I don't think he should have come out of retirement"
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) March 14, 2023
Michael O'Leary says it's time for Davy Russell to step back once again#CheltenhamFestival | #TheOpeningShow | @MCYeeehaaa pic.twitter.com/G4wgHb46pv
“Personally, I wish he’d stayed retired. He has a young family with young children and at a certain point in time you should put your family first and not your riding career.
“When you get out at that age in your early 40s you don’t bounce, you don’t mend the way you did before. Particularly when you’re married and you have children: you put your family first.
“He’s had a glorious career. He has nothing to achieve by coming back and I don’t think he should’ve come out of retirement.”
This morning on ITV Racing, Russell was asked about those comments.
👀 "I have about as much respect for Michael O'Leary's opinion as he has for my opinion"
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) March 16, 2023
🗣@_Davy_Russel_#TheOpeningShow | #CheltenhamFestival | @sagrassick pic.twitter.com/EFLBxKbZPS
“I have about as much respect for Michael O’Leary’s opinion as he has for my opinion.
“I didn’t see any father of the year awards being thrown out yet. I’m happy enough with my responsibilities at home. That’s about as much as that…I know I said it yesterday and that’s about it.”
Russell has five rides today on the third day of the Cheltenham Festival, including Mighty Potter in the Turners Novices’ Chase, Fury Road in the Ryanair Chase and Teahupoo in the Stayers’ Hurdle.
He was seriously hurt in 2020 when falling in the Munster National at Limerick, with the resulting serious neck injury including fractured and dislocated vertebrae that required surgery and a long period of recovery. After missing the 2021 Cheltenham Festival, Russell returned to the saddle in September 2022 following an 11-month absence.
