Ruby Walsh says "you can't bite the hand that feeds you" in relation to Davy Russell and Jack Kennedy being told by Gordon Elliott that they could not partner Envoi Allen and Minella Indo this weekend.
Russell had planned to get back on board Envoi Allen, who he rode to all four of his hurdle wins, but was told he must partner Vado Forte in Saturday's Grade 2 Racing TV Chase at Down Royal.
Meanwhile, Kennedy was scheduled to ride Minella Indo, who he partnered to victory in the Gold Cup at Cheltenham back in March, in the Ladbrokes Champion Chase, but will now be on board previous Irish Gold Cup winner Delta Work.
Explaining the decision, Elliott told The Racing Post: “I have my own jockeys. They are either riding for me or they aren’t. I have my own owners to keep happy and my owners wanted my jockeys to ride their horses so that’s the way it is.”
The trainer added: “I want to see my jockeys ride good horses but I have runners in the same races. If my owners want my jockeys, there’s nothing I can do.
“It’s hard for Jack having to get off a Gold Cup winner but he rides a lot of our horses here and we’re hoping that Delta Work is our Gold Cup horse.”
Walsh says there is little jockeys can do in such a situation and admits it is not something he misses now that he's retired.
Speaking about Elliott's decision at Down Royal on Friday, Walsh told Racing TV: "That's racing and it's a part of racing that I don't miss from not being a jockey.
"I can imagine how Rachael Blackmore felt last Tuesday and I can certainly imagine how both Davy and Jack felt yesterday morning when they had to get off a potential Gold Cup horse and the Gold Cup favourite.
"Unfortunately you can't bite the hand that feeds you and that's the man you work for."
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