Russell holds the aces at Thurles Davy Russell has a strong book of rides at Thurles this afternoon and looks like he can continue his flying start to the season. He has been the chief beneficiary of Gigginstown's decision to dispense with a retained rider and currently tops the jockey's table alongside Ruby Walsh. Two of his mounts on the card carry the maroon and white colours of his former employers and he teams up with Noel Meade in the four-year-old maiden hurdle as Sean Flanagan is currently suspended. French import Dis Donc was well held on his Irish debut behind the impressive Sharjah at Gowran Park a couple of weeks ago but looks capable of better and is now fitted with a hood. He ran freely early on then and his jumping left a lot to be desired so there looks plenty of scope for improvement from the gelding who won a Grade Three bumper in his native land. It looks significant that Russell takes the mount on him rather than the Gordon Elliott-trained Vengeful, another French import in the same colours. Russell teams up with Elliott in the preceding contest and Mitchouka looks an interesting acquisition by the Gigginstown team. The three-year-old was Listed placed in France and if he can transfer that kind of ability to jumps he could be an exciting prospect. The same jockey/trainer combination team up later on the card with Swingbridge in the first division of the Cashel Handicap Hurdle. He is on a four-timer in the two-mile-six-furlong contest having landed all his three previous outings since joining the Cullentra handler. Having scored over fences on his last two starts he went up to a mark of 118 but is rated 19lb lower over timber. Another horse that still looks very well treated over hurdles is Mullinavat and Russell gets the call again here with regular pilot Flanagan unavailable. Henry de Bromhead's charge ran out a wide margin winner at Tramore last week when making full use of his 32lb lower mark over hurdles. He is due to go up 20lb for that showing in future races so it's no surprise to see him turn out again under a 6lb penalty before that re-assessment kicks in.
