Double delight for Russell

DAVY RUSSELL consolidated his position as the jumps season’s leading rider with a double on My Murphy and Best Served Cold in very testing conditions in Wexford yesterday, bringing his seasonal tally to 52.

Successful in even more demanding conditions in Galway nine days earlier, Best Served Cold, trained by Michael Hourigan for Russell’s boss Michael O’Leary of Gigginstown House Stud, followed-up when getting the better of market-rival Pickapocketortwo in the three-mile INH Stallions Owners Novice Hurdle. A half-length separated the pair at the line.

Hourigan said: “He won in Galway a week ago and it was my call to run him again. He’s a nice horse. He jumps and stays and is one to look forward to over fences. The ‘Dorans Pride’ at Limerick (a Grade 3 novice hurdle over three miles) is a possible target for him.”