Davy Russell: Jockey comes out of retirement after Jack Kennedy injury

Russell is a three-time Irish champion jockey who has won 25 times at the Cheltenham Festival

Top jockey Davy Russell is temporarily coming out of retirement just over three weeks after quitting the saddle.

The 43-year-old Irishman is returning after trainer Gordon Elliott's number one jockey Jack Kennedy broke his leg at the weekend.

Russell plans to ride at Fairyhouse on Saturday and Punchestown on Sunday.

"After meeting with Gordon today, I have decided to come out of retirement and ride for the short period while Jack is on the sidelines," he said.

"It's only been a matter of weeks since I retired, and I actually rode more out this morning than I have in many years.

"We are a close team in Cullentra and after what happened last weekend, I want to help the team through a difficult few weeks."

It is unclear whether Kennedy will be fit to ride at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

Russell won the Grand National at Aintree on Tiger Roll in 2018 and 2019 and the 2014 Cheltenham Gold Cup with Lord Windermere.

The jockey had announced his immediate retirement after a victory at Thurles on 18 December.

He sustained a serious neck injury including fractured and dislocated vertebrae which required surgery and a long period of recovery after a fall at Limerick in 2020.

Nobel Yeats aimed at second Grand National & 2023 Gold Cup

Sam Waley-Cohen rode Noble Yeats to victory in the 2022 Grand National in his final race before retirement

Noble Yeats will run in this year's Grand National in an attempt to become only the second two-time winner of the race this century.

Trainer Emmet Mullins said the eight-year-old, who won the 2022 National as a 50-1 outsider, will also be aimed at the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March.

Only two horses - Golden Miller and L'Escargot - have won both the Grand National and the Gold Cup.

"We haven't found the ceiling for him yet," Irishman Mullins said.

Tiger Roll is the only two-time winner of the famous race since triple victor Red Rum in the 1970s.

Noble Yeats has won two of three races this season, first at Wexford in October and then the Many Clouds Chase at Aintree in December.

He is next set to run in the Fleur de Lys Chase at Lingfield on 23 January.

Sean Bowen is partnering the horse after the retirement of amateur jockey Sam Waley-Cohen, who bowed out after their National triumph.

"We are definitely aiming at the Grand National once again," Mullins said.

"After his performance in the Many Clouds last time he won't be too well looked after in the weights but with a horse like him he grows in that scenario and I don't see any reason why we shouldn't fancy our chances once again.

"The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a stayers' race and I would compare him to something like Hedgehunter who won a National and was second in a Gold Cup afterwards. Hopefully he'll take his chance in the Gold Cup."

Another horse set to run in the Gold Cup before April's National is US Grand National winner Hewick, trained by Shark Hanlon.

Hanlon also plans to run recent recruit Cape Gentleman, the Irish Cesarewitch winner in 2000, in the big race at Aintree.