Davy Russell explains Don Poli paling

Davy Russell does not blame the ground for Don Poli’s Gold Cup eclipse last week, but rather that he finished third in a well above-average renewal of the race.

Racing on much quicker ground than he is accustomed to, last season’s RSA Chase winner was in the rear before staying on into third place, 10 lengths behind stablemate Djakadam with impressive winner Don Cossack a further four-and-a-half in front of him.

“It wasn’t that he didn’t handle the ground, they went so quick I could never get back into it,” Russell said.