Russell and Enright back on track for Christmas fixtures

Jockey Davy Russell is free to partner his Cheltenham Gold Cup

ride Lord Windermere at Leopardstown next week after both he and Philip Enright had five-day suspensions reduced to two days each at a Turf Club appeal at the Curragh.

The jockeys were banned under “disrepute” rules at Clonmel earlier this month when Enright handed his whip to Russell during a race after the latter lost his earlier in the contest.

The original suspensions imposed by the Clonmel stewards meant both riders faced missing the first three days of the Christmas action, with Russell standing to lose several high-profile rides, notably Lord Windermere in the €150,000 Lexus Chase on Sunday week.

The Turf Club’s Appeals Committee ruled that the Clonmel stewards were correct in deciding that Russell and Enright had breached Rule 272 which deals with actions “prejudicial to the proper conduct of racing”.

However the jockeys’ records were taken into account, as well as how busy Christmas is for racing, and the penalties were reduced from five days to two. They will miss Fairyhouse and Thurles this weekend.

Russell is expected to be in action during the four days of Leopardstown's festival while Enright, a regular rider for leading southern trainer, Robert Tyner, has a successful record at Limerick's four-day Christmas fixture.