Davy Russell warns of a generation lost to racing - with his own son set on a surprising career path

Davy Russell has issued a stark warning that jump racing will “end up being monopolised by a handful of influential families and their kids” – prompted by his own son’s desire to become a showjumping rider rather than following his father into the sport.

Russell was speaking to the Racing Post for a major interview in Sunday’s newspaper in which he reflected on his extraordinary career, his relationship with Ruby Walsh, his “bad management” of wasting that led to him handing in his licence and life after racing.

Russell started out on Ireland’s pony racing circuit, but the legendary jockey feels many children of similar backgrounds are being drawn to showjumping and other sports because of a lack of pathways into racing at a young age.

After Russell’s son Finn revealed his ambition to be a showjumping rider, Russell said: "Kids these days are being lost to showjumping and the like, because the pathway is there for them. Racing isn't doing that and the whole landscape needs to be looked at.

"We all did the pony flapping when we were kids, and this isn't how I'd have imagined it panning out, but I'd find it hard to bring Finn or [eldest daughter] Lily to a flapping meeting. You're talking about makeshift tracks, hard ground and all that sort of thing, so flapping has a problem. I can go over the road to Maryville or up to Mullingar [showjumping facilities] or wherever, and it's all purpose-built, signed off on by the authorities. There is the SJI [Showjumping Association of Ireland] app and everything is recorded.

"It's very different on the pony racing scene here – I wouldn't even know where to start. But if there were pony races on before or after racing in Punchestown or Roscommon or Tipperary or wherever, we'd have the lorry loaded up at the crack of dawn and be there in a heartbeat. You could have a finals day at the Curragh or something like that, and you're making the next generation of jockeys and staff."

He added: "We are all gone a bit softer, but there are hundreds of kids out showjumping at these gigs every weekend. Racing isn't tapping into that at all and if we don't deal with it, jump racing in particular will end up being monopolised by a handful of influential families and their kids.

"It's all about bringing the kids to the races, and I'd go up to Downpatrick with them if there were races on there for them. I'm already going to Belfast for the jumping but racing needs to be more accessible and having pony races at the tracks would generate a lot more interest."

Read more from Davy Russell in The Big Read, available in Sunday's newspaper or online for Members' Club Ultimate subscribers from 6pm on Saturday. Click here to sign up.

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