ONE of Ireland’s most famous jockeys and a three-time champion, Davy Russell announced his retirement at Thurles on Sunday following his win on the Gordon Elliott-trained Liberty Dance, in the Listed Billy Harney Memorial Irish EBF Mares Novice Hurdle.

Russell rode in Ireland during a golden period of jump jockeys, which included fellow champions Ruby Walsh, Barry Geraghty and Paul Carberry, and on Tiger Roll and Lord Windermere collected two Grand Nationals and a Cheltenham Gold Cup.

At Thurles on Sunday, he went out on a high, riding in his perfectly neat style on Cheltenham prospect Liberty Dance, who quickened smartly to beat Belle The Lioness easily. It was Russell’s third winner, with one second, from his final four rides. Liberty Dance was later cut by Paddy Power to 6/1, from 16/1, for Cheltenham’s Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.

By surprise

On pulling up, the 43-year-old caught most by surprise in announcing his retirement and at the parade ring received a hero’s welcome from the large crowd, traditional for this pre-Christmas fixture.

Russell, seriously injured in the 2020 Munster National, said: “When I broke my neck I got a bit of a shock. It is testament to my family who never questioned my decisions, albeit how strange at the time they seemed. But I was of the opinion I needed something to push me through the rehabilitation and the best incentive was getting back to ride.”

Better types

Racing began with a Willie Mullins-trained one-two in the Irish Stallion Farm EBF Beginners Chase, with Ramillies (6/4) defeating shorter-priced stablemate Tenzing (5/4f), to win under champion jockey Paul Townend. Ramillies raced with the pace throughout and in the end had two and a quarter lengths to spare over Tenzing.

Afterwards Mullins reported: “He (Ramillies) was always a good work horse at home and in his bumper days but disappointed me over hurdles.

“I think he needs nicer ground and a fence, and Paul was very pleased. I put Paul on Tenzing this morning but he said he wanted to ride Ramillies, so I said fair enough.

“He was right and Ramillies had always been running in better types of competition than Tenzing but just had to put things together.”

Appropriate winner

Half an hour later there was an appropriate winner of the prestigious Molony Cup Handicap Chase, sponsored by the racecourse owners since 1957, as Lizrona (20/1) scored for trainer Eric Larkin, owners the Kehoe family and jockey Sean O’Keeffe. Following the race Larkin reported: “I live down the road in Kilsheelan and was in the army with the late Jack Griffin who was married to Trisha Molony (race sponsors), so this is a lovely race to win with a lovely trophy too.

“Lizrona was running over two and a half miles and just needed a trip. I don’t know where she’ll run next but the handicapper will probably destroy her! My last winner was actually here (in 2017) and I only train two horses. I’m retired from the army and only train as a hobby but would like to get a few more horses.”

First winner

The other chase on the card was the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Chase, which saw the Grainne O’Connor trained, Latin Partnership-owned Brandy Harbour (5/1) follow up a recent win over hurdles.

The eight-year-old provided jockey Diarmuid Moloney with a first winner at Limerick last month and was again seen to good affect, as the pair defeated R’Evelyn Pleasure by six lengths. Afterwards the trainer’s husband Paurick O’Connor reported: “He has improved over hurdles and over fences and Diarmuid is riding out of his skin.

“He is a great lad who is looking for outside rides. He is learning his trade and was brilliant on that horse. If he is sound and well, he will run somewhere over Christmas.”

Hat-trick

The John McConnell trained, Derek Kierans-owned Grand Soir (9/4jf) completed a hat-trick of wins in the Horse & Jockey Hotel Rated Novice Hurdle, showing an abundance of stamina to eventually defeat Level Neverending by two and three-quarter lengths.

Winning jockey Simon Torrens reported: “He has done everything we’ve asked him to do and that was a nice performance under top weight. The ground was probably dead enough for him. He is a lovely horse going forward and I think he’ll be a brilliant chaser.

“I was never really happy anywhere and he got me out of jail as he was there when I wanted him. Maybe be saves a bit for himself, which probably isn’t a bad thing, but when he steps up in grade he will have to be a lot sharper and more on the ball.”