Payday.
Davy Russell enjoyed a famous day three Thursday in the Cheltenham festival on Thursday. The Cork jockey was in the winners enclosure on three separate occasions, as he raced up the leaderboard to head the Champion Jockey standings with only one day of racing remaining.
The 38-year-old, who rides for a variety of trainers from Gordon Elliott to Patrick Kelly to Henry De Bromhead went into Thursday’s card on the back of a difficult period.
His mother passed away recently, and after coasting to victory aboard the impressive Presenting Percy in Wednesday’s RSA Chase, he paid an emotional tribute to her.
Davy Russell – a winning jockey at every Festival since 2006 👏#PresentingPercy #TheFestival pic.twitter.com/cD4TGZHcCe
— CheltenhamRacecourse (@CheltenhamRaces) March 14, 2018
Just half an hour later, the jockey suffered a crashing fall off Bless The Wings in the cross country chase and had to be stood down for the rest of the card.
He recovered in time for Thursday, and Russell, no stranger to an explosive winning run, set Pretsbury Park alight like he has done often before.
In the second race of the day, the Pertemps Final, Russell’s Delta Work got the better of Barry Geraghty’s mount Glenloe on the nod in a race he had no right to win.
In a masterful display of horsemanship, he somehow kept his horse ahead under serious pressure up the home straight.
With his confidence up, things only got better and better. Henry De Bromhead’s Balko Des Flos gave him a dream trip in the Ryanair Chase, as Russell piloted the horse owned by his former boss, Michael O’Leary, to victory in a race that has been sponsored by the Ryanair chief for years.
Everything Russell touched was turning to winner at this stage, and after he passed the post first aboard The Storyteller in the handicap of the day, horse racing followers far and wide were acclaiming his winning habits. He’s certainly a big day performer.
One lucky, or else extremely well informed punter had each of Russell’s winners down in an accumulator bet with Jack Kennedy’s opening race victor Shattered love. It came in at odds of almost 300/1.
With €5 each way on the four horses, Greg landed himself more than €30,000.
It pays to stay loyal to your man.
https://twitter.com/reggiebarbados/status/974333877421592576
Not a bad day’s work.
