14 March 2023 , 12:37
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Michael O’Leary has criticised veteran jump jockey Davy Russell’s decision to come out of retirement to ride at another Cheltenham Festival.
The outspoken racehorse owner and boss of Ryanair said Russell, 43, should have put his family first when returning to the sport in February just four weeks after quitting the sport.
Russell agreed to come to the aid of trainer Gordon Elliott after stable jockey Jack Kennedy broke his leg.
With 25 Cheltenham Festival winners, the most of any current rider, Russell’s experience is invaluable to the stable.
He rode the O’Leary-owned Tiger Roll to win two Grand Nationals and he is set to Conflated for the owner in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup.
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Yet O'Leary, whose horses race under the Gigginstown Stud banner, speaking on ITV Racing said: “He’d retired and, personally, I wish he’d stayed retired.
"He has a young family with young children and at a certain point in time you should put your family first and not your riding career.
“When you get out at that age in your early 40s you don’t bounce, you don’t mend the way you did before. Particularly if you’re married and you have children you put your family first.
“He’s had a glorious career and he has nothing to achieve by coming back and I don’t think he should’ve come out of retirement.”