Russell hoping Joe can give him edge in National

After a somewhat rocky start to his career as a professional jockey, Davy Russell has quietly gone about becoming one of Ireland’s leading jockeys. On the eve of a serious tilt at the Grand National, Declan Colley finds out how he’s done it.

WHEN Davy Russell was a child mowing the lawn at his home just outside Youghal, the cuttings only ever became one thing - a Grand National fence.

He jumped them himself, he jumped them on ponies and he dreamed of winning the National. Today he’ll line up on the Ferdy Murphy-trained Joe’s Edge with a live chance of making those childhood dreams a reality.