Russell signs off in winning style at Thurles

Davy Russell called time on his remarkable career in the saddle when partnering the Gordon Elliott-trained Liberty Dance to win the Listed Billy Harney Memorial Irish EBF Mares Novice Hurdle at Thurles on Sunday.

In the colours of owner Tim O’Driscoll, the 6/5 favourite led early in the straight and went clear from the second last hurdle to win by five and a half lengths from the Henry de Bromhead-trained Belle The Lioness.

Russell’s stellar career was topped by his association with dual Aintree Grand National winner Tiger Roll and his Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Lord Windermere. In all, he rode 58 Grade 1 winners and was champion jockey in Ireland on three occasions.

Kilsheelan trainer Eric Larkin recorded his first winner since 2017 as Lizrona landed the Molony Cup Handicap Chase at Thurles on Sunday.

The six-year-old, owned and bred by Michael and Gerard Kehoe, belied her odds of 20/1 when racing to a four and a half-length success from the James Motherway-trained Goodnightgodbless under Sean O’Keeffe.

Larkin said, “I was in the army with the late Jack Griffin who was married to Trisha Molony, so this is a lovely race to win with a lovely trophy too.”

In the colours of Dr Ronan Tynan, Chocolat Blu won the ten-furlong maiden at Dundalk on Wednesday.

Trained by Andy Slattery and ridden by his son Andrew, the 6/1 chance came from well off the pace and led well inside the final furlong to beat the running-on favourite Rockview Consort by half a length.

Emly apprentice Tom Kiely Marshall gave trainer John McConnell a second winner on the day as he partnered the 119 Partnership-owned Halcyon Spirit took the land the concluding ten-furlong handicap.

The 16/1 chance was well on top in beating the Ger O’Leary-trained Newgirlintown by a length and a half to give the winning jockey his sixth career success.

John Nallen and his nephew Sean Bowen combined to win the eight-furlong maiden with Cristal Clere at Dundalk on Friday.

Racing up with the pace throughout, the 9/4 chance led inside the final furlong to see off Aidan O'Brien’s Cyclamen and the Joseph O'Brien-trained favourite Bold Ribb by a neck and three-parts of a length respectively. It was an eighth career success for the seventeen-year-old apprentice.

In contrast, David Marnane’s Freescape was a very cosy winner of the ten-furlong handicap. With Billy Lee in the saddle, the seven-year-old made virtually all the running and raced clear from the two-furlong marker to beat fellow joint-favourite Vina Sena, trained by Henry de Bromhead, by three and three-parts of a length. Freescape is now a six-time winner at Dundalk and he will be in action for Marnane in Dubai early in the new year.

Upcoming Meetings

Fairyhouse – Wednesday, December 21 (First Race 12.10pm)

Dundalk – Wednesday, December 21 (First Race 4.15pm)

Down Royal – Monday, December 26 (First Race 11.40am)

Leopardstown – Monday, December 26 (First Race 12 noon)

Limerick – Monday, December 26 (First Race 12.25pm)

Leopardstown – Tuesday, December 27 (First Race 12.05pm)

Limerick – Tuesday, December 27 (First Race 12.19pm)

Leopardstown – Wednesday, December 28 (First Race 12 noon)

Limerick – Wednesday, December 28 (First Race 12.20pm)

Leopardstown – Thursday, December 29 (First Race 12 noon)

Limerick – Thursday, December 29 (First Race 12.20pm)

Punchestown – Saturday, December 31 (First Race 12.15pm)