Paul Carberry says Davy Russell was wrong to come out of retirement as he agrees with Michael O'Leary's view
Paul Carberry believes Davy Russell coming out of retirement was "the wrong move".
Russell returned to the saddle back in January less than four weeks after he retired from the sport on a winner at Thurles.
The 43-year-old's decision came after Gordon Elliott's number one stable jockey Jack Kennedy suffered a broken leg in a fall at Naas and the Meath trainer asked Russell to come out of retirement.
In an interview aired on ITV during the Cheltenham Festival, Gigginstown House Stud owner Michael O'Leary claimed Russell had “nothing to achieve by coming back” and said he wished the jockey had "stayed retired".
The Cork jockey responded to the Ryanair boss' comments by saying: "I have about as much respect for Michael O’Leary’s opinion as he has for my opinion.
"I didn’t see any father of the year awards being thrown out yet.. I’m happy enough with my responsibilities at home. That’s about as much as that."
But Carberry has now revealed he also felt that his former weighing room colleague was wrong to come out of retirement.
Speaking to Boylesports about Irish Grand National betting, Carberry said: "I wouldn’t be able to come out of retirement like Davy Russell did - but I can see why he did it
"My body wouldn’t be able to take it! With Davy coming out, it gives the lads there another chance but that’s neither here nor there. Sam [Ewing] was really unlucky to break his arm and Jordan [Gainford] has been injured as well, so Gordon’s lads haven’t had a good run.
"Michael O’Leary speaks his mind! What he says is not always right but he likes to get his point across in any case.
"It might have been right Davy coming back, but I don’t know if it was fair on the younger lads not getting the chance to prove themselves. They have to do that at some stage. Would they have done a better job at Cheltenham than Davy? Maybe not but you never know until you try.
"Gordon has faith in the young lads, but perhaps doing what he did with Davy may have knocked their confidence a bit. I thought it was the wrong move."
Looking ahead to the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday, Carberry added: "Thedevilscoachman, if he didn’t run a week or so ago, then he would be the right favourite, but two weeks to recover from that race for this one might not be long enough with another three miles and more ahead of him.
"I assume he will run but I suspect he’ll need more time to recover if he is to win.
"Gaillard Du Mesnil had a good win at Cheltenham, that’ll help him. Willie Mullins has a lot thrown in and he looked one of his better winners at the Festival in a good race.
"Dermot McLoughlin is a good friend of mine and he’s going well, he’s just down the road from me and it is great to see him win the race the last two years.
"I think his runner Lord Lariat, winner last year, had a great prep run for this race at Leopardstown. Dermot obviously thinks he’s got a big chance of winning here and I think he does too.
"Panda Boy has a good chance too, for sure. Martin Brassil has been very unlucky, he had two seconds at Cheltenham, it would be good to see him come back and get his head in front here.
"It is a very open race, Angel’s Dawn won at Cheltenham, there is Stumptown as well, but it is going to be a cracker, it’ll be really hard to split them.
"I suppose it will be a question of which horses come back right after going to Cheltenham as well, getting themselves back in order."
