18 December 2022

Tiger Roll the cream of brilliant Davy Russell winners

18 December 2022

Davy Russell has ridden plenty of winner during his illustrious career, but we pick out six stars who obliged on the biggest of stages for the retiring rider.

Tiger Roll

A horse of a lifetime for Russell, providing back-to-back victories in the Grand National to write the pair’s name firmly into Aintree legend. The rider was also there at the very beginning for this gutsy little horse, with the duo lifting the 2014 Triumph Hurdle – the first of five Festival wins for Tiger Roll.

Presenting Percy

A dual Festival winner for Russell, lifting the Pertemps Hurdle Final in 2017 before returning the following year to breeze home by seven lengths in the RSA Novices’ Chase. Russell was aboard for all but a handful of Presenting Percy’s 11 career wins and paid a heartfelt tribute following the gelding’s death in April 2021.

Lord Windermere

Russell certainly earned his only Cheltenham Gold Cup success as Lord Windermere was out the back and struggling at one stage, before staying on all the way up the run in to claim a short-head verdict. While the victory was slightly controversial as the winner got very close with runner-up On His Own, it was a fine illustration of Russell’s strength and determination to get him home.

Solwhit

Six times a Grade One winner in partnership with Russell, Solwhit proved right out of the top drawer, although the pair’s only attempt at Champion Hurdle gold ended in defeat in 2010. Nevertheless Aintree and Punchestown proved fine hunting grounds in 2009 and 2010.

Weapon’s Amnesty

A Grade One winner as a novice hurdler, Weapon’s Amnesty looked destined for the very top over fences after a fine first season in the chase division. Having hit the bar on a couple of occasions at the highest level, Charles Byrnes’ runner came good on the biggest stage of all when demolishing his RSA Chase rivals by seven lengths at Cheltenham. Injury then intervened and he had just one more run before he was retired.

Envoi Allen

A potential superstar after back-to-back Festival wins in the Champion Bumper and the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle. Russell only took over when Envoi Allen embarked over obstacles, but the duo were unbeaten in four novice hurdle runs and the rider would have been aboard for his novice chase career, had he not been injured.

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