DAVY RUSSELL Age: 33 From: Co Cork Davy Russell hates losing and is very hard on himself in defeat, even when he is blameless. Although the 33-year-old has mellowed a little bit over time, he still lives to win. The Youghal native is a passionate follower of both his local GAA club and Cork, and is no mean hurler himself, as evidenced when he captained a team wearing the Rebel jerseys against a side led by Trainer Jim Bolger in last year’s charity match to raise funds for cancer research. Russell’s competitiveness shone through on that occasion and it is what kept him striving to become champion jockey – something he finally achieved at the end of the 2011/2012 season, having finished second a gut-wrenching five consecutive times before that. He has been booting home winners at an almost monotonous rate since riding his first in the point- to-point sphere in 1999. He went on to be champion two years later, and shared the title with John Thomas McNamara at the end of the 2002 campaign with a then record 56 winners. A switch to the professional ranks followed when he was offered a retainer in England by trainer, Ferdy Murphy and his first winner as a pro came on Inn Antique in a Sedgefield novice hurdle on November 12, 2002. Other notable successes followed on Truckers Tavern, Tribal Venture and Ballinclay King and he finished second on the former in the 2003 Cheltenham Gold Cup. He opted to return to Ireland in 2004 though, and the decision has proven fruitful. Edward O’Grady provided him with the bulk of his winners in his first campaign back, although John Kiely’s Blazing Liss was his most valuable partnership, providing him with four victories, including two in Listed hurdles. Philip Rothwell’s Native Jack gave him his first Cheltenham festival winner in the 2006 Sporting Index Cross Country Chase and he has been a frequent victor at the Olympics of National Hunt racing since. Russell has been catapulted to whole new level as retained jockey to Michael O’Leary’s Gigginstown House Stud, and he is now in his fifth full season in that job. War Of Attrition, Weapons Amnesty, Carlito Brigante, Quito De La Roque, Bog Warrior and Last Instalment are just some of the horses that have carried him to big-race success in Ireland and England wearing the famous maroon colours. He has continued to remain loyal to those that supported him in the past, and especially to owners and trainers he knows from the point-to-point scene he loves so much. That was why he derived so much pleasure from riding Michael Winters’ Rebel Fitz to victory in the Galway Hurdle in 2011. Russell will travel to Cheltenham this year with a number of opportunities of adding to his tally of nine festival winners. Un Atout is one of his best prospects in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle but all eyes will be on Sir Des Champs. A winner of the Jewson Chase at Cheltenham last year with Davy on board, the Willie Mullins-trained gelding bagged his first Grade 1 chase when winning the Growise Novice Chase at Punchestown the following month. He has continued to progress and completed his preparations for the Cheltenham Gold Cup when winning the Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown under a very canny ride by Russell. The extra two furlongs and stiff uphill climb will suit a horse that has already won twice at the festival. Winning the Gold Cup would be a dream come true for Russell but whatever happens, he will be back to the family farm early the following week, helping out and in particular, working with his own young horses. .