FOLLOWING a week’s break from race-riding, jockey Davy Russell is back in action tomorrow at Listowel. He is expected to be part of the Gigginstown House Stud team during the seven-day festival.

Russell is free to ride at the Co Kerry meeting as the four-day ban he received from the Appeals Body this week does not start until Thursday, September 21st. The hearing marked the end of a 19-day controversy which began on August 18th when the jockey was caught on camera striking the mare Kings Dolly with his fist before a race at Tramore.

Russell initially received a ‘caution’ for the incident when it was reviewed by the Referrals Committee at Killarney on August 26th but, following reactions from organisations such as the RSPCA and ISPCA, and an outcry from members of the public, the Turf Club asked the Appeals Body to review the leniency of the penalty.

Joseph Finnegan, a retired Supreme Court Judge, chaired the Appeals Body hearing last Tuesday and was flanked by Justice Tony Hunt and John Powell.

Issuing the ban, Finnegan said: “For this present case, a five-day suspension seems an appropriate penalty.

“However, we consider Mr Russell’s previous record, which is a good one with regard to the welfare of animals, and we also take into account the delay in finalising this case which has caused a great deal of stress to Mr Russell and his family.

“Nonetheless we do not wish to underplay, understate or mitigate the offence - which is a serious one.

“However taking into account the offender, we will reduce the suspension by one day and so substitute the penalty imposed to Mr Russell by the Referrals Committee from a ‘caution’ to four days.”

The four-day penalty rules Russell out of three low-profile jumps meetings and a Roscommon fixture on Monday, September 25th, which includes a Grade 3 race.

”NO ANGER”

During the hearing, Russell was given the opportunity to add to a transcript which contained the evidence he gave to the Referrals Committee at Killarney. He chose not to, but did say: “I had no anger towards the filly (Kings Dolly). There was no malice. It was a matter of trying to get her back under control and trying to get her to pay attention.

“I know I did hit the horse and I understand what you (the Appeals Body) see but what the press have brought forward is completely different and is unacceptable to both me and my family.

“One of my children is 13 years of age – she knows what’s going on and she is in secondary school at the moment and she has to deal with this.

“In my eyes the whole way the media have dealt with this has been disgraceful and that is a lenient way of putting it.”

A video of the incident, which involved Russell striking his horse towards the top of her neck, appeared on social media platforms and quickly gathered momentum.

Following the news that Russell had received only a caution for the incident, there was further public outcry and a condemnation from both the RSPCA and its Irish equivalent, the ISPCA.

Then, four days after the findings of the Referrals Committee, the registrar of the Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Committee Josh Byrne, used his powers to invoke a review under rule 27 (i), which allows him to send ‘unduly lenient’ punishments to the Appeals Committee.

Russell has received support from well-known figures within the industry including weighing room colleague Robbie Power who said the reaction on social media was “way over the top.”