Lucinda Russell. (Screen Grab)
… And Beyond With Talented Tattersalls Purchases
Tattersalls Jockey Club Release
Dual Grand National winning trainer, Lucinda Russell enjoyed Cheltenham Festival success last year with subsequent Aintree Grand National winner Corach Rambler in winning the Cheltenham Ultima Handicap. Russell will be hopeful she can add to her Cheltenham Festival tally next month with a strong team of runners including Tattersalls purchases, Giovinco, Apple Away, Inox Allen and El Elefante.
Giovinco holds multiple entries at Cheltenham and has put in some solid performances so far this season with two handicap chase wins as well as finishing runner up to Stay Away Fay in the Grade 2 Esher Novices’ Chase at Sandown.
Speaking to Tattersalls, Lucinda said: “He’s by Walk in the Park and he is just a fabulous horse. He is a bit edgy, but I think a lot of the Walk In The Parks are. He cruised through his novice hurdle year and was unbeaten including a Listed race at Perth at the end of the season.
“This year we’ve gone novice chasing and we’re absolutely delighted with him. He is going to go to Cheltenham. We’re still unsure as to which race, he is going to go for – whether he goes for the three miles [Grade 1 Brown Advisory Chase] or two and a half miles [Grade 1 Turners Novice Chase]. We are probably leaning towards the three miles, but we will see as he’s also in a handicap [Ultima Handicap]”.
Lucinda adds: “He is perfect; the owners haven’t even had him for two years yet and already he is looking at a festival. He’s a horse that has won plenty and deserves his place there.”
Giovinco was purchased at the Tattersalls Cheltenham December Mixed Sale in 2022 for £85,000 by Lucinda Russell and Paul McIvor from Michael Griffin’s Knocknacoll Stables.
Amongst other Cheltenham entries for the Kinross handler is El Elefante who holds an entry in the Grade 2 Ryanair Mares Novices’ Hurdle.
Russell told Tattersalls: “We’ve got a lovely mare called El Elefante, she’s very classy and has come from a good producer [Robert Tector of Coolbawn Stables]. She has found it a little tougher this year but only because we stepped her up in quality of races, but she has got black type and she’ll make a lovely chaser.”
El Elefante was a £40,000 Tattersalls Cheltenham January Sale purchase by Lucinda Russell and Paul McIvor from the aforementioned, Coolbawn Stables.
Apple Away has been another prolific performer for Lucinda Russell, the highlight being her Grade 1 win at the end of last season in the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree. She has returned this season running consistently well in graded company – not seen out of the frame on all starts. She holds multiple entries at the Cheltenham Festival with connections not yet confirming which assignment she will take up.
Apple Away was purchased for £35,000 at Tattersalls Cheltenham April Sale in 2022 by Lucinda and Paul McIvor from Terence Leonard’s Ballynoe Castle stud.
As a subsequent Grade 1 winner, the purchase of this mare appears exceptional value. Lucinda’s partner and assistant trainer Peter Scudamore explained their focus on buying predominantly mares has been a calculated move with the long-term value and career of the horse at the forefront of their minds.
Scudamore said: “There is a limit to the length of your pockets, so sometimes the mares give you residual value. Something like Apple Away having won a listed race is worth a good bit of money as a stud mare. Another one we’ve got is Lady In The Park [A £90,000 Tattersalls Cheltenham April Sale purchase by Lucinda Russell and Paul McIvor from Tom Dreaper’s Greenogue Racing Stables]. We have taken her along the same lines as Apple [Away]. She was only beaten about a length in the same Handicap Hurdle that Apple Away won [in 2023]. She [Lady In The Park] will now possibly go to a Listed race at Doncaster.
“Sometimes with the mares you have a residual value for them, while geldings, they have to find a home when they’re retired – well, Corrach Rambler will live in a castle at the bottom of my garden… but the rest have to find a home!”
Both Lucinda and Peter highlight the importance of attending the sales regularly, not only to assess stock, but they believe getting to know the producers is a key element in sourcing future winners.
Peter Scudamore said: “You get to know people you like to buy from and that leave improvement.
“Someone like Colin Bowe would be one of the best producers in the British Isles. His gallop is fantastic, but you look at his gallop and you think, ‘Gosh, I’ll never maintain the work from there’, but they do. You build up a trust and an association. I always find someone like Colin Bowe, he tells you the truth, he tells you what it is.”
Lucinda Russell and Paul McIvor purchased the Grade 1 Albert Bartlett entered Inox Allen from Colin Bowe’s Milestone Stables for £40,000 at last year’s Tattersalls Cheltenham May Sale after he had won on sole point-to-point start. Since then, he has had three runs including two wins over hurdles and a third placed effort in the Grade 2 Albert Bartlett Prestige Novices’ Hurdle at Haydock.
Lucinda said: “We bought a lovely horse from him [Colin Bowe] last year, Inox Allen. He was third in a Grade 2 the other day at Haydock. It is building a relationship and knowing the ones you can trust in what they say and there is value there.”
The Lucinda Russell stable have plenty to look forward to beyond The Cheltenham Festival including the progressive chaser, Corrigeen Rock. The seven-year-old son of Westerner has been a prolific performer recording five wins and three seconds over chase fences and landed The Scottish Champion Chase when last seen at Musselburgh. Members of The Caledonian Racing Society who own the horse are looking ahead to The Punchestown Festival as his potential next target given a right-handed track is key to his success.
Peter Scudamore told Tattersalls: “When you’re going to the sales you are buying a dream. We bought Corrigeen Rock for a club [The Caledonian Racing Society] at Tattersalls. He is just one of those dreams, he is honest and he’s tough. The people have had so much fun out of it.
“If you want money, don’t but a National Hunt horse. If you want fun, there are ups and downs but there is tremendous fun in it. It makes me so proud that something like Corrigeen Rock at reasonable value has given such pleasure to so many people. I wish I could have given so much pleasure to so many people!”
Corrigeen Rock was a £50,000 Tattersalls Cheltenham Mixed April Sale purchase by Lucinda Russell and Paul McIvor from Denis Murphy’s Ballyboy Stables.
Amongst the younger horses purchased at Tattersalls Cheltenham, a notable mention went to Mountain Molly who is yet to make her debut for the stable having won her sole point-to-point start back in Ireland.
Lucinda Russell said: “We were drawn to her and knew she was running in her Irish point-to-point as she is half-sister to De Legislator who is a horse, we have huge hopes for. He has just injured himself so won’t run again this season but he’s a horse we absolutely love, we think he could be a proper staying chaser.
“When Mountain Molly came through the ring we were delighted and again, I think we bought her quite well. She has worked really well at home and will run in a bumper soon – I really like her.”
Mountain Molly was purchased at Tattersalls Cheltenham December Sale by Lucinda Russell and Paul McIvor for £85,000 from James Doyle’s Baltimore House Stables.
The final horse to note is St Olan’s Well who according to their trainer has shown similarities to his talented Cheltenham Festival and Grand National winning stablemate, Corach Rambler.
Lucinda said: “He has the same temperament as Corach Rambler. He has got a lot of ability and is working really nicely at home. We’re very pleased with him.
“Can he be the next Corach Rambler? I don’t know. I don’t think anything can really be another Corach Rambler but if St Olan’s Well got close to it, I would be delighted.”
St Olan’s Well was an £80,000 Tattersalls Cheltenham December Mixed Sale purchase at the end of last year by Lucinda Russell and Paul McIvor from Denis Ahern’s Ballyknock Stables.
The next sale to take place at Tattersalls Cheltenham is The Tattersalls Cheltenham Festival Sale on Thursday 14thMarch which takes place in the Winner’s Enclosure after racing. For more information, please visit www.tattersallsjcsales.com
