Pat Russell

Pat Russell

Article by Alan Trout

Patrick James Russell was an Irish jockey who had more than a dozen winners there in the late 1930s before travelling to Britain, where he added six more over the course of three seasons. 

He made a good start to his British career when, on his first ride, Stipendiary beat 21 rivals to land the Bradford Novices’ Hurdle (Division 1) at Wetherby on February 17, 1945, just a few weeks after the resumption of National Hunt racing, which had been in abeyance for almost three years during the war. Trained by William Bellerby at Malton, the four-year-old was making her jumping debut and beat Goyanna by ten lengths. 

On March 3 at the same course, Slavonic Guard gave Pat a second success with victory in the Rowcliffe Novices’ Hurdle (Division 1). The eight-year-old had already finished second with Pat aboard on his second ride on Britain, and now went one better by beating Conflict, ridden by Tony Doyle, by three lengths. 

Fourteen days later, another Wetherby meeting saw Pat ride his third winner when Plymouth, trained by Percy Vasey, narrowly came out on top in the Parlington Novices’ Hurdle, catching Fair Wind, the mount of Freddie Maxwell, close home to score by a short head. 

William Bellerby supplied Pat with his next winner, when Kidlington easily won the Selling Hurdle at Catterick Bridge on January 5, 1946, having finished third on the four-year-old at Southwell seven days earlier.

Pat had his first win over fences in Britain at Bangor-on-Dee on March 30, when Hydora won the Dee Selling Handicap Chase and then survived an objection by Jack Bissill, rider of the runner-up Vitement, on grounds of crossing. 

Seven days later, Pat had his only ride over the Liverpool fences when Silver Candle fell at the third in the Becher Chase. 

On Boxing Day 1946 Pat had his sixth and final win in Britain when Galway Sun, trained by Herbert Megginson at Knayton, near Thirsk, ran on strongly to take the Novices’ Hurdle (Division 1) at Market Rasen, beating George Vergette on Wind Swift by a length and a half. His earlier three rides on the four-year-old had all been unplaced, and four subsequent starts were equally unsuccessful. 

Pat’s final ride was at Catterick Bridge on November 6, 1948, when Roman Bachelor was unplaced in the Kiplin Handicap Hurdle. 

Pat Russell’s British winners were, in chronological order:

1. Stipendiary, Wetherby, February 17, 1945

2. Slavonic Guard, Wetherby, Mach 3, 1945

3. Plymouth, Wetherby, March 17, 1945

4. Kidlington, Catterick Bridge, January 5, 1946

5. Hydora, Bangor-on-Dee, March 30, 1946

6. Galway Sun, Market Rasen, December 26, 1946