Morga completes treble for rampant Russell

Davy Russell completed a high profile treble at Punchestown today, completing the feat on the Jackie Bolger owned and Des McDonogh trained Morga in the Drinkwater Construction (Mares) Novice Hurdle.

Russell had earlier steered Mallowney and Jetson to victory and was riding his first winner in the famous Bolger silks.

Afterwards McDonogh, trainer of dual Champion Hurdler Monksfield, stated “that's superb. I haven't had a runner for maybe 15 years at the festival and it's great to have another one that's good enough.

“She has improved big time for her experience at Cork and she jumped superb. The others had a lot more experience than her but she's really tough and is a very good filly; I haven't had one like her since Herbert United.”

Regarding Jim Bolger's role in the win, McDonogh added “Jim has been fantastic to me in the last eight or nine years and has kept me going. He rang me up a while ago and said he had one which might make a good hurdler.

“I've no major plans but she'll come back next year for one of those better races.”

By Thomas Weekes, quotes from Gary Carson