Russell’s winning two-code long weekend

By Jordan Gerrans

Queensland horseman Dan Russell recorded a long weekend for the history books.

The 35-year-old has long prepared a team of standardbreds with consistent success, but has in recent times branched out to train a handful of gallopers, as well.

In a rare double, Russell collected a winner with a thoroughbred on Saturday before backing it up on Monday at Marburg with a standardbred victory.

“It was actually a real big thrill,” he said.

“Having a few friends of mine down there with me on Saturday made it even better.”

Russell took a team of three gallopers down to Tabulam Racing Club in regional New South Wales and walked away with his first triumph in the code when Cut Diamonds landed the prize.

It was almost a winning double as Imarealamerican ran second in the Tabulam Cup later in the program.

A day or so later, veteran mare Copy Writer went out in style as she won at Marburg, in what will be her final race start, as Russell, in conjunction with owner and breeder Bill Crosby, opted to retire her.

After more than a decade of training harness horses, the Lake Clarendon-based horseman says he was ready for a new challenge in taking out his thoroughbred training ticket.

“I went through a bit of a mental health issue there and I struggled a little bit, probably four years ago now,” he recalls.

“I just hit rock bottom. A couple of my good mates in the thoroughbreds actually helped me out of it and got me into that side of things.

“There has been a lot more happiness and it's all easier.

“Even just going into the track and all that, it's just a lot more of a happier place, where I am now.

“People like Brock Everingham and Jesse Townsend have been great for me.”

Russell prepares his small team from a Lake Clarendon property and will head into the Ipswich track a few times a week.

Cut Diamonds was initially prepared by Everingham at Ipswich before the mare had her first run for her new stable on Saturday.

She scored her maiden triumph at her 26th career attempt.

It is a challenge to prepare two types of horses at once, but Russell is making it work nicely.

“The pacers are a bit harder and a bit stronger,” he said.

“And, with the thoroughbreds, you don't do a lot with them. You more keep them fresh and have them fit.

“Well, because we've got the swimming pool and all that there, Cut Diamonds just pulled up a little bit sore after her last start, just muscle-wise and everything.

“Brock asked me to just take her and swim her for him and I gave her a go.

“We just freshened her right up for the trip down and it was too good. It was actually a real good day at Tabulam and the crowd was massive.

“Imarealamerican running second in their local Cup as well, that was a pretty big thrill.”

Russell has been training thoroughbreds since early last year.

Cut Diamonds is one of a handful of thoroughbreds Russell prepares while he has around a dozen in work in the other code.

He also works on the track at Albion Park.

Copy Writer has been a mainstay of the Russell stable over the last couple of years and recorded her ninth career win in 115 attempts on Monday at Marburg.

Steered to victory by Adam Richardson from two on the front row, Copy Writer will now head into retirement.

“She was starting to get a bit on and everything like that,” he said.

“We had a lot of fun with her and it was time to move her on, as well. She had luck to her favour on Sunday and we took full advantage of it.

“I was actually surprised she paid that much. I thought she should have been in the market.”

Russell tallied a career-high 63 winners in the 2022 campaign.