Russell unscathed after Navan woe

Davy Russell suffered no lasting damage at Navan on Sunday after partnering three successive fallers.

Russell gave up his remaining rides on the afternoon, on a day he will want to forget quickly.

Don’t Back Down fell early in the novice chase won by Boston Bob, Un Beau Matin looked like he was just coming to win the Tara Hurdle when he crashed out at the second-last flight, and then the highly-touted Don Cossack was a strange casualty at the last in the Grade One Navan Novice Hurdle.

He appeared to jump the final hurdle well enough but then fell a stride later.

That was enough for Russell, who decided to miss the rest of the action.

“I’m a bit sore and a bit battered and bruised, but there’s no lasting damage,” said the champion jockey.

“If Gigginstown have runners at Downpatrick on Thursday I’ll be back for that.

“I don’t know what happened to Don Cossack, I went back to check if he’d put his foot in a hole or something but he hadn’t, he made a hole himself.

“I think he just took a bad step.

“I’d say he bumped into a very smart one in the winner (Pont Alexandre).”