NEVER AGAIN
Legendary jockey Davy Russell opens up on infamous horse punch incident and admits years later ‘I was wrong’
The moment of madness almost came to define his career
LEGENDARY jockey Davy Russell has opened up on his infamous horse punch incident and admitted years later: "I was wrong."
The two-time Grand National winner turned his back on the sport for good after retiring for a second time in April last year.
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He left the weighing room an icon after 22 Cheltenham Festival wins including the 2014 Gold Cup on Lord Windermere.
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But it was incident at the peak of his powers in 2017 that threatened to derail his career entirely.
Riding down to the start of a run-of-the-mill mares' handicap hurdle at Tramore in August of that year, Russell lost the plot completely with Kings Dolly.
Footage showed the champion Irish jockey whacking the horse on the back of the head with his right hand while at a 'show' hurdle before the start of the race.
Russell, who went onto finish eighth in the contest, was initially given just a caution by the Irish Turf Club but was later banned four days amid outcry over the 'appalling' incident.
Bad blood lingered afterwards, with Russell famously refusing to speak to former Racing Post editor Bruce Millington in a tense encounter on live TV as a result of an article he had written after the flashpoint.
Reflecting in his new book , Russell has opened up on what was going through his head on the day.
He admitted he 'did have a bit of a lapse' at Tramore with a horse who 'wasn't listening to me'.
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Russell said: "She was cantering to the hurdle and I got a bit scared that she wasn't going to stop.
"She did stop suddenly just before the hurdle, and I managed to stay on board, but I got a bit of a fright.
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"I hit her a bit of a smack on her neck: don't do that again.
"I shouldn't have done that. It was wrong.
"I just wanted her to know that she shouldn't have done that, that she shouldn't do it again."
Russell says that after increased pressure on social media as footage of the incident spread, 'some people said I should have been suspended'.
The caution was deemed 'unduly lenient' and Russell subsequenly got hit with the suspension.
Russell added: "I accepted my punishment, I knew I was in the wrong.
"I was happy to put the incident behind me and move on."
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