Russell Price
Article by Chris Pitt
Article by Chris Pitt
Russell Price was born in Barry Island, in the Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales in 1968. He started riding early, a Shetland pony when barely three and winning his first event at a local gymkhana at four.
Russell Price was born in Barry Island, in the Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales in 1968. He started riding early, a Shetland pony when barely three and winning his first event at a local gymkhana at four.
While still at school he began riding out for Wiltshire trainer Ron Thompson. Thompson subsequently moved north to Lincolnshire and Russell was offered a job by Taffy Salaman, which included riding work on the trainer’s jumpers. When Salaman gave up training, Russell headed to Newmarket and, following a brief spell with Mark Tompkins, joined Willie Musson’s yard.
While still at school he began riding out for Wiltshire trainer Ron Thompson. Thompson subsequently moved north to Lincolnshire and Russell was offered a job by Taffy Salaman, which included riding work on the trainer’s jumpers. When Salaman gave up training, Russell headed to Newmarket and, following a brief spell with Mark Tompkins, joined Willie Musson’s yard.
On August 25, 1986 Russell rode his first winner on his fifth ride in public when Petit Bot scored at Chepstow. He ended that season with that one winner and four places from twelve rides but endured a blank campaign in 1987 – seven seconds and five thirds but no winners.
On August 25, 1986 Russell rode his first winner on his fifth ride in public when Petit Bot scored at Chepstow. He ended that season with that one winner and four places from twelve rides but endured a blank campaign in 1987 – seven seconds and five thirds but no winners.
In search of winners he left Musson and joined Geoff Huffer but the drought continued. Things began to look up after he moved to Robert Armstrong’s yard midway through 1988 and rode a couple of winners that autumn.
In search of winners he left Musson and joined Geoff Huffer but the drought continued. Things began to look up after he moved to Robert Armstrong’s yard midway through 1988 and rode a couple of winners that autumn.
The 1989 campaign started well with a Chepstow Spring Bank Holiday double, leading to a successful association with another Newmarket trainer, Michael Bell. A further double at Salisbury was followed by a last stride victory on Fair Titania, who got up on the line to beat the Bruce Raymond-ridden Cup Of Tricks in the Duke of Norfolk Memorial Nursery at Brighton, causing the Racing Post’s reporter to comment: “Russell Price could not have highlighted his talents more emphatically.”
The 1989 campaign started well with a Chepstow Spring Bank Holiday double, leading to a successful association with another Newmarket trainer, Michael Bell. A further double at Salisbury was followed by a last stride victory on Fair Titania, who got up on the line to beat the Bruce Raymond-ridden Cup Of Tricks in the Duke of Norfolk Memorial Nursery at Brighton, causing the Racing Post’s reporter to comment: “Russell Price could not have highlighted his talents more emphatically.”
Having finished 1989 with ten winners, an Italian winter stint followed with leading trainer Valfredo Valiani but things didn’t go as planned as Russell discovered that apprentices there aren’t allowed to claim after they are 21, meaning he was up against senior jockeys without an allowance.
Having finished 1989 with ten winners, an Italian winter stint followed with leading trainer Valfredo Valiani but things didn’t go as planned as Russell discovered that apprentices there aren’t allowed to claim after they are 21, meaning he was up against senior jockeys without an allowance.
In July 1990 he acquired a reputation of a weekend specialist with victories on three consecutive Saturdays, prompting journalist Marcus Armytage to remark: “Russell Price is a young jockey going the right way.”
In July 1990 he acquired a reputation of a weekend specialist with victories on three consecutive Saturdays, prompting journalist Marcus Armytage to remark: “Russell Price is a young jockey going the right way.”
He came close to landing Doncaster’s Portland Handicap on Baysham in 1991, being collared close home by Willie Carson on Sarcita. A six-week stint riding work in Florida at the end of that year sharpened his riding skills and saw him forge links with several US trainers, which stood him in good stead when he returned to the Sunshine State the following November, although he found it nigh on impossible to get any race rides there. A change of location to Kentucky proved more productive and he managed to pick up a spare winning ride on a horse called Jake’s Commemorate at Turfway Park on January 9, 1993.
He came close to landing Doncaster’s Portland Handicap on Baysham in 1991, being collared close home by Willie Carson on Sarcita. A six-week stint riding work in Florida at the end of that year sharpened his riding skills and saw him forge links with several US trainers, which stood him in good stead when he returned to the Sunshine State the following November, although he found it nigh on impossible to get any race rides there. A change of location to Kentucky proved more productive and he managed to pick up a spare winning ride on a horse called Jake’s Commemorate at Turfway Park on January 9, 1993.
Having lost his apprentice allowance that year on reaching the age of 25, he found winners hard to come by in Britain too. However, the tide turned and in 1998 he achieved a season’s best tally of 27 winners from 250 rides.
Having lost his apprentice allowance that year on reaching the age of 25, he found winners hard to come by in Britain too. However, the tide turned and in 1998 he achieved a season’s best tally of 27 winners from 250 rides.
The following year he rode 25 winners from 369 rides. They included three Southwell sellers in a row aboard Norma Macauley’s Keen Hands, plus a brace of competitive handicaps at Haydock and York on the Mark Polglase-trained King Priam. Just three days after the York victory, they narrowly failed to defy a penalty when finishing third in the valuable Schroder Investment Management Handicap.
The following year he rode 25 winners from 369 rides. They included three Southwell sellers in a row aboard Norma Macauley’s Keen Hands, plus a brace of competitive handicaps at Haydock and York on the Mark Polglase-trained King Priam. Just three days after the York victory, they narrowly failed to defy a penalty when finishing third in the valuable Schroder Investment Management Handicap.
The fastest horse Russell rode was undoubtedly Malcolm Saunders’ high-class sprinter Repertory. They went close on several occasions in Listed and Group company without ever quite managing to win, including, in 1999, second, beaten half a length, in the Listed Dubai Airports World Trophy at Newbury and third in the Group 3 Prix du Petit Couvert at Longchamp, and, in 2000, third in two more Listed sprints, the Vodafone Dash at Epsom and Sandown’s Porcelanosa Stakes.
The fastest horse Russell rode was undoubtedly Malcolm Saunders’ high-class sprinter Repertory. They went close on several occasions in Listed and Group company without ever quite managing to win, including, in 1999, second, beaten half a length, in the Listed Dubai Airports World Trophy at Newbury and third in the Group 3 Prix du Petit Couvert at Longchamp, and, in 2000, third in two more Listed sprints, the Vodafone Dash at Epsom and Sandown’s Porcelanosa Stakes.
It was also in 2000 that his number of winners dropped appreciably to just five from 158 mounts, signalling the beginning of a downward spiral. In 2003 he rode only two winners from 36 rides.
It was also in 2000 that his number of winners dropped appreciably to just five from 158 mounts, signalling the beginning of a downward spiral. In 2003 he rode only two winners from 36 rides.
He quit the saddle in 2005, took out a trainer's licence and saddled his first winner, Blueberry Hill, at Southwell on December 13, 2005.
He quit the saddle in 2005, took out a trainer's licence and saddled his first winner, Blueberry Hill, at Southwell on December 13, 2005.
Based at Cedar Lodge on Newmarket's Hamilton Road, he trained a few winners, including the historic Newmarket Town Plate, before relinquishing his licence in 2010. But while his time as a trainer was comparatively brief, his battle with alcohol had lasted far longer.
Based at Cedar Lodge on Newmarket's Hamilton Road, he trained a few winners, including the historic Newmarket Town Plate, before relinquishing his licence in 2010. But while his time as a trainer was comparatively brief, his battle with alcohol had lasted far longer.
In the summer of 2011, when at his lowest ebb, trainer Russell received a call from Clive Brittain asking him to help with an unruly filly that didn’t like stalls and promised him the ride on her at Newmarket if he stayed off the drink. Russell hadn’t ridden in Britain since 2005 but he took out a jockey’s licence and, on August 26, 2011, he made all to win on that filly, called Semeyyel, on Newmarket’s July Course.
In the summer of 2011, when at his lowest ebb, trainer Russell received a call from Clive Brittain asking him to help with an unruly filly that didn’t like stalls and promised him the ride on her at Newmarket if he stayed off the drink. Russell hadn’t ridden in Britain since 2005 but he took out a jockey’s licence and, on August 26, 2011, he made all to win on that filly, called Semeyyel, on Newmarket’s July Course.
Sadly, that winner did not lead to a resurrection of his riding career and he finished 2011 with that one winner from just five rides. That marked the end of his riding career, one that had included winners in half a dozen different countries.
Sadly, that winner did not lead to a resurrection of his riding career and he finished 2011 with that one winner from just five rides. That marked the end of his riding career, one that had included winners in half a dozen different countries.