DAVY RUSSELL Sat: Punchestown Festival

So, it’s the final day of the Punchestown Festival which brings the curtain down on another season. I’d also like to mention Robbie ‘Puppy’ Power who has decided to hang up his riding boots. The weighing room will definitely be a poorer place without him – a good man and a really talented ride. He was always a great man on the big day and we’ll all miss him, he was always a good craic. I wish him all the best for the future.

Looking ahead to Saturday’s card and I’ve only the one ride on Fil Dor to look forward to…

SATURDAY

PUNCHESTOWN FESTIVAL

3.50pm (Coolmore Kew Gardens Champion Hurdle – Grade One)

No ride for me in the first of the Grade One races where Epatante is back after her terrific win in Aintree. She saw out this trip really well and has had one hell of a season. Her biggest danger could easily be her stablemate Marie’s Rock who seems to be improving rapidly. She looked smart when landing the Mares’ Hurdle in Cheltenham and will test her stablemate. As for the home team, last year’s winner Stormy Ireland will go well again while Telmesomethinggirl hadn’t played her hand yet when brought down the last day.

FIL DOR – 5.00pm (Ballymore Champion Four Year Old Hurdle – Grade One)

Only the six runners in the Ballymore Champion 4yo Hurdle where I partner Fil Dor (pictured below) who takes on Vauban again. Listen, my fella ran a cracker in Cheltenham when second in the Triumph Hurdle and battled away all the way up the hill. He is just such a consistent horse and is a pleasure to ride. He was just beaten by a good one in Vauban who unfortunately is in against us again. We’ve finished second to him twice now and the likelihood is that we’ll chase him home again on this sort of ground. My fella would love a bit more rain to take the emphasis away from speed and place it on stamina. However, this is horseracing, and we’ll give it our best shot.

That’s my last blog for the season and I hope you have enjoyed reading them. I’ve enjoyed writing them and catching up with the lads on the zoom rooms as well. There is no rest for me as I’m off to America in the next few weeks to ride in Nashville, Tennessee. I’ll be back though and will keep you updated through this blog as always…

Good Luck
Davy

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