Leading jockey Davy Russell will miss next month’s Cheltenham Festival after failing to sufficiently recover from injury in time.
Russell - who won the Gold Cup aboard Lord Windermere in 2014 - has been on the sidelines since dislocating and fracturing vertebrae in a first-fence fall in the Munster National at Limerick in October aboard Doctor Duffy.
Having returned to riding out last month, the 41-year-old was hoping to be back in time to ride at the Festival, but has now admitted time has run out.
In a statement he said on Thursday: “I met with my surgeon earlier today and, although he is delighted with the progress I have made, he feels I’m not quite where I should be in order to ride at Cheltenham next month.
“It is frustrating as I feel I have made giant strides in recent weeks on the road to recovery. However, after talking things through with Gordon, we both feel it sensible for me to follow advice and miss Cheltenham as it is only weeks away.
“To ride horses of the calibre of Envoi Allen you have to be 100% fit and I would be doing the team a disservice to ride when I’m not ready.
“Obviously, it is hugely disappointing, but it is important to make the call early. I will continue to work hard on my recovery and look forward to getting back in the saddle the following month.”
Though Cheltenham was a huge incentive for Russell, Tiger Roll’s potential bid for a third Randox Grand National at Aintree in April could now be a target for the jockey, given he rode the horse to his previous two successes in the race.
