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Lucinda Russell celebrates Ahor Señor’s emotional victory in the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham in the same week the manager lost her father, who also partly owned the 13-2 shot with an eye on the Gold Cup after the victory.
- Trainer Lucinda Russell grieved the loss of her 95-year-old father this week
- Ahor Senor delivered an emotional victory for the family in the Cotswold Chase
- The 13-2 shot, partly owned by Peter Russell, is now in line for the Gold Cup.
Ahoy Señor delivered an emotional win for trainer Lucinda Russell in the week her father Peter died with a one and a half length win in the Paddy Power Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham that resurrected her Gold Cup hopes.
Russell, who died Monday at age 95, backed the training career of his Grand National-winning daughter. He co-owned the 13-2 shot Ahoy Mister and closely followed the pursuer’s career until the end of his life.
Three sub-par races this season had put a question mark against the two-time Grade One winner ridden by Derek Fox, but he bounced back to his best with a resolute victory for Sounds Russian that cut his Gold Cup odds to 10-1.
Lucinda Russell, right, remembered her father after watching Ahor Señor, left, win on Saturday.
Understandably, Russell’s thoughts were with his late father. She said: ‘It’s very emotional. As he got older, racing meant a lot to him. He would always talk to me about which races we were going to and we would talk before and after. I will miss him intensely.
‘Two weeks ago he said to me: ‘How are you today, Lord? Will he go to Cheltenham?” He wasn’t a jockey, but he was interested in this horse.
‘He only went to the hospital for 24 hours. It was great that I got a chance to say thank you because it was Dad who prepared me and it was Dad who gave me that desire and determination. He would be very proud of me today.
I’m going to miss not calling him on the way home.
His father, Peter Russell, inquired about the chances of Ahoy Senor at Cheltenham just a fortnight ago.