Russell returns with treble

DAVY RUSSELL, on his first day back since suffering a hand injury at the Punchestown Festival, landed the three mile handicap hurdle at Cork last night on Tony Martin’s Royal County Star, the first of three winners on the night.

Martin missed the contest, having decided to go to Aintree instead. Quipped Russell: “Thank God he wasn’t here, he’d have given me too many instructions!”

Royal County Star was racing off a mark 29lbs below his rating over fences and was given a patient drive by his pilot.