‘You can’t expect 20-plus racehorses to come around a corner in a straight line’, says Davy Russell on the false starts at the Cheltenham Festival

Alamy Live News. 3E0HEMM A false start before the Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle on day three of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse. Picture date: Thursday March 12, 2026. This is an Alamy Live News image and may not be part of your current Alamy deal . If you are unsure, please contact our sales team to check.

Retired three-time Irish champion jockey Davy Russell shares his views on Cheltenham’s star performer and the reason for the Festival’s frustrating false starts

This year’s Cheltenham Festival was an eventful week, as a big competition like that always is. The Festival’s leading jockey, Paul Townend, outshone everyone, he really is one of the all-time greats and certainly stamped his authority on the sport this year. He has a brilliant attitude, a marvellous way about him. But the spread […]