Ruby Walsh

Born in Kill, County Kildare on May 14, 1979, Rupert ‘Ruby’ Walsh is the son of trainer Ted Walsh and widely regarded as one of the greatest National Hunt jockeys of all time. He retired from race riding on May 1, 2019 with 2,756 winners to his name, 776 of which came on British soil.

Thanks in no small part to his associations with Paul Nicholls and Willie Mullins, both multiple champion trainers on their respective sides of the Irish Sea, it was at the Cheltenham Festival, in particular, that Walsh excelled. He won the leading jockey award at the Festival a record 11 times between 2004 and 2017 and rode a record seven winners over the four days in both 2009 and 2016. His career total of 59 Cheltenham Festival winners, 16 more than Barry Geraghty, who retired on July 11, 2020, and 17 more than Paul Townend, who is still riding, is also a record.

As far as the Cheltenham Gold Cup is concerned, Walsh won the ‘Blue Riband’ event twice, in 2007 and 2009, both times on Kauto Star, trained by Paul Nicholls, who also finished second behind stable companion Denman in 2008. All told, Walsh and Kauto Star contested the Cheltenham Gold Cup six years running between 2007 and 2012, falling four out behind Imperial Commander in 2010, finishing an 11-length third behind Long Run in 2011 and pulling up before halfway behind Synchronised in 2012.

Kauto Star aside, Walsh also finished second in the 2006 Cheltenham Gold Cup on Hedgehunter, trained by Willie Mullins, on whom he had previously won the 2005 Grand National. Following the retirement of Kauto Star on October 31, 2012, Walsh subsequently finished second in the 2015 and 2016 renewals of the Cheltenham Gold Cup, both times on Djakadam, trained by Mullins. On his final attempt in 2019, Walsh failed to complete the course on stable second-string Bellshill, who was pulled up before halfway after a series of mistakes.

At the time of his retirement, Willie Mullins said of Walsh, “It’s the end of an era. What a riding career. What a career he’s had with me, what a career he had with Paul Nicholls. It’s going to be strange, and much more difficult without his assistance anyhow.”