Davy Russell

Davy Russell has announced his retirement from the saddle after a win at Thurles this afternoon.

"He has been as much as a friend as anything else. He is a brilliant jockey and a great person. He added: "The feedback he gave has always been invaluable. "I have five children and plenty of work to do. "It is testament to my family who never questioned my decisions, albeit how strange at the time they seemed. People thought I was going to retire – if the injury stopped me fine, but I was happy to do it on my own terms.

CORKMAN Davy Russell once said “there's no point in going at it if you don't give your all” – and the rider bows out having certainly followed that advice ...

It looked like the time had come – but he was determined to make it back, and did so in September last year. McCoy, Walsh, Geraghty, Johnson, Carberry, Russell – the names trip off the tongue, the weighing-room giants of the past 20 years or more. It is a mark of the man that once the shock had worn off, Russell dusted himself down and offered the best possible riposte in steering Lord Windermere to Gold Cup glory that spring – indeed Russell actually rode a couple of Gigginstown winners at that Festival too, including a certain Tiger Roll in the Triumph Hurdle. It was a steep learning curve for the then 23-year-old – from point to points to finishing second in the 2003 Cheltenham Gold Cup aboard Truckers Tavern, Russell was on the fast track to success. His father had a horse in training there, so it was probably a natural progression for Russell to have a crack in the competitive sphere, riding his first winner at Gowran Park in May 1999 and spending four years as an amateur before being propelled into the big time. Renowned as a horseman almost beyond compare and a proud Cork native, Russell is the second-youngest of six children for Jerry and Phyllis, raised on the family farm in Youghal, where he admits he was obsessed with riding his pony.

The legendary jockey made the announcement after partnering Liberty Dance to victory at Thurles on Sunday afternoon.

“I spoke to Gordon however long ago about retirement and he backed me the whole way. “I didn’t decide until the day I was declared to ride a horse again that I was going to come back because it was hard work. He went on: “I have five children and plenty of work to do. People thought I was going to retire – if the injury stopped me fine, but I was happy to do it on my own terms. “It is testament to my family who never questioned my decisions, albeit how strange at the time they seemed. For the last few years, you have made me part of your team and have always done everything to help me asking for nothing in return. To all the stable staff around the land that do all the hard work, to my weighing room colleagues, both professional and amateur, past and present… You are the reason I can hang up my riding boots today. You took me to the next level. "My journey began 43 years ago with the support of my parents who gave me the most outstanding of childhoods – never restricting me and giving me the freedom to begin a journey. You gave me the opportunity and trusted in me, taking me to places and to days I could only ever have dreamed about. Then there’s the likes of Pat O’Connor, Arthur Moore, Pat and Mary Doyle, John Kiely, Mick O’Brien and Charles Byrnes to name just a few.