Veteran jockey Davy Russell has hit back at Michael O’Leary’s criticism of his retirement U-turn saying his wife “was fully behind me.”
The outspoken O’Leary, owner of Gigginstown House Stud and boss of Ryanair, said 43-year-old Russell should have put his family first and stayed in retirement when he decided to ride at another Cheltenham Festival.
Russell said he had considered his family before deciding to return to help fill the void left after Gordon Elliott’s stable jockey broke his leg in February.
