Ruby Walsh

Rupert "Ruby" Walsh (born 14 May 1979) is an Irish former jockey. He is the second child, and eldest son, of former champion amateur jockey Ted Walsh Sr. and his wife Helen. Widely regarded as one of the greatest National Hunt jockeys of all time, Walsh is the third most prolific winner in British and Irish jump racing history behind only Sir Anthony McCoy and Richard Johnson. a horse trained by his father and owned by Mrs J Maxwell Moran.

He won his 2,500th race on Au Quart De Tour at Gowran Park on 20 January 2016.

As of 2019, Walsh remained the Festival's most successful rider and won the leading rider's award eleven times within a fourteen-year span. In August 2015 Walsh won the Australian Grand National on Bashboy.

On 1 May 2019, Walsh announced his retirement from racing with immediate effect after a career spanning 24 years. The announcement was made after he rode Kemboy to victory in the Punchestown Gold Cup. It was the 213th Grade One win for Walsh.

Statistics

He was the leading jockey at the Festival 11 times: 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017.

Irish Jump Racing wins season by season

Season Runs Wins Win %1994/95 3 0 0 1995/96 77 8 10 1996/97 184 30 16 1997/98 230 41 18 1998/99 503 95 19 1999/00 239 33 14 2000/01 480 84 18 2001/02 444 84 19 2002/03 488 78 16 2003/04 360 70 19 2004/05 527 111 21 2005/06 422 90 21 2006/07 562 125 22 2007/08 547 131 24 2008/09 512 121 24 2009/10 424 128 25 2010/11 192 45 23 2011/12 358 85 24 2012/13 340 101 30 2013/14 403 122 30 2014/15 253 79 31 2015/16 350 105 30 2016/17 371 131 35

GB Jump Racing wins season by season He returned to the saddle just 27 days later.

Walsh fractured his left ankle during a fall from the ill-fated Imperial Hills, trained by Willie Mullins at Killarney in May 2009. During his time off he was present to saddle Sesenta for Willie Mullins in the Ascot Stakes at Royal Ascot.

During the run-up to the 2010 Grand National he broke his left arm after a fall from Celestial Halo. His horse fell and they both seemed to have got away unscathed, but a horse racing behind them landed on his arm while he was on the ground, breaking it in two places. Walsh suffered an injury in the same race in 2012 after a fall from Zarkander which ruled him out of the 2012 Grand National.

On the last day of the 2014 Cheltenham Festival Walsh sustained a compound fracture of the humerus in a fall in the Triumph Hurdle.

On the day before the 2016 Grand National Walsh fractured his wrist after falling in the Topham chase on Blood Cotil.

On 18 November 2017 Walsh fractured his right leg in a fall at Punchestown and did not return until 3 March 2018. On day two of the 2018 Cheltenham Festival Walsh aggravated his late 2017 injury.

Trainer split In May 2013 it was announced that Walsh and Paul Nicholls were to split following Walsh's decision to spend more time in Ireland with his young family. However they parted on good terms and Walsh continued to ride the occasional Nicholls horse, including winning on Al Ferof in the Grade 2 Amlin Chase at Ascot in November 2014.

Personal life Walsh married Gillian Doran in July 2006. Their first child, Isabelle, was born in October 2009. The couple have gone on to have three more daughters, Elsa, Gemma and Erica.

His sister Katie Walsh is also one of the top female jockeys. His brother Ted Walsh Jr. is married to female jockey Nina Carberry.

Popular culture Walsh is mentioned in a song by the famous singer/songwriter Christy Moore called "The Ballad of Ruby Walsh," which appears on his album "Listen." The song is based on Christy's real life experience of watching the jockey at the Galway races.

Television Walsh featured in a TG4 documentary called "Jump Boys". It followed the journeys of Walsh, Barry Geraghty and Davy Russell over the course of the 2011/12 season. It aired on 28 November 2012. He has also occasionally worked as a racing pundit for RTÉ while injured and has appeared on the Channel 4 Racing Saturday morning programme The Morning Line on a number of occasions. Walsh has also featured in a number of well received commercials for the bookmaker Paddy Power, in particular a recent commercial prior to the Cheltenham Festival 2016 where he confronts an angry Twitter troll and allegations that jockeys intentionally throw themselves off their horses.

Major wins Ireland Irish Gold Cup -(2) Quel Esprit (2012), Bellshill (2019) Lexus Chase -(3) Rince Ri (2000), Denman (2007), Tidal Bay (2012) Punchestown Gold Cup -(7) Imperial Call (1999), Commanche Court (2000), Neptune Collonges (2007, 2008), Boston Bob (2014), Kemboy (2019) Ladbrokes Champion Chase -(4) Taranis (2007), Kauto Star (2008, 2010), Valseur Lido (2016) John Durkan Memorial Chase-(3) Arvika Ligeonniere (2013), Djakadam (2015, 2016) Ryanair Gold Cup -(3) Rince Ri (1999), Big-and-Bold (2002), Voix Du Reve (2019) Drinmore Novice Chase -(4) Promalee (1998), Nil Desperandum (2003), Bog Warrior (2011), Arvika Ligeonniere (2012) Racing Post Novice Chase -(1) Min (2016) Fort Leney Novice Chase -(1) Back in Focus (2012) Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase -(3) Papillon (1998, 2000), Douvan (2016) Arkle Novice Chase -(3) Assessed (2002), Un de Sceaux (2015), Douvan (2016) Dr P. J. Moriarty Novice Chase -(3) J'y Vole (2008), Cooldine (2009), Ballycasey (2014) Ryanair Novice Chase -(4) Le Roi Miguel (2003), Arvika Ligeonniere (2013), Un De Sceaux (2015), Douvan (2016) Punchestown Champion Chase -(3) Micko's Dream (2001), Twist Magic (2008), Master Minded (2009) Morgiana Hurdle -(6) Thousand Stars (2011), Hurricane Fly (2012, 2013, 2014), Nichols Canyon (2015, 2016) Royal Bond Novice Hurdle -(4) Alexander Banquet (1998), Sous les Cieux (2011), Long Dog (2015), Quick Grabim (2018) Hatton's Grace Hurdle -(2) Zaidpour (2012), Arctic Fire (2015) Future Champions Novice Hurdle-(2) Solerina (2002), Long Dog (2015) Christmas Hurdle -(3) Commanche Court (1998), Zaidpour (2013), Vroum Vroum Mag (2016) December Festival Hurdle -(4) Hurricane Fly (2012, 2013, 2014), Nichols Canyon (2015) Slaney Novice Hurdle -(4) Homer Wells (2005), Mikael D'haguenet (2009), Briar Hill (2014), Bellshill (2016) Irish Champion Hurdle -(6) Brave Inca (2009), Hurricane Fly (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015), Faugheen (2016) Deloitte Novice Hurdle -(3) Alexander Banquet (1999), Vautour (2014), Nichols Canyon (2015) Mares Novice Hurdle Championship Final -(2) Nobody Told Me (2003), Annie Power (2013) Herald Champion Novice Hurdle -(4) Iktitaf (2006), Hurricane Fly (2009), Faugheen (2014), Douvan (2015) Champion Stayers Hurdle -(5) Asian Maze (2006), Fiveforthree (2009), Quevega (2011, 2012, 2013) Punchestown Champion Hurdle -(6) Davenport Milenium (2002), Hurricane Fly (2011, 2012, 2013), Faugheen (2015), Vroum Vroum Mag (2016) Tattersalls Ireland Champion Novice Hurdle -(8) Davenport Milenium (2002), Nobody Told Me (2003), Sadlers Wings (2004), Nicanor (2006), Glencove Marina (2007), Mikael d'Haguenet (2009), Vautour (2014), Nichols Canyon (2015) Champion Four Year Old Hurdle -(5) Holy Orders (2001), Sporazene (2003), Diakali (2013), Abbyssial (2014), Bapaume (2017) Irish Daily Mirror Novice Hurdle -(1) Bellshill (2016) Mares Champion Hurdle -(2) Annie Power (2014, 2015)

Great Britain Betfair Chase -(4) Kauto Star (2006, 2009, 2011), Silviniaco Conti (2012) Henry VIII Novices' Chase -(2) Thisthatandtother (2003), Al Ferof (2011) Tingle Creek Chase -(3) Cenkos (2002), Kauto Star (2006), Un de Sceaux (2016) Long Walk Hurdle -(2) Big Buck's (2009, 2011), Kauto Star Novices' Chase -(2) Strong Flow (2003), Breedsbreeze (2008), Christmas Hurdle -(3) Feathard Lady (2005), Faugheen (2014, 2015) King George VI Chase -(5) Kauto Star (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011) Challow Novices' Hurdle -(2) Cornish Rebel (2003), Denman (2006) Tolworth Hurdle -(3) Silverburn (2007), Breedsbreeze (2008), Yorkhill (2016) Clarence House Chase -(4) Master Minded (2009), Twist Magic (2010) Un de Sceaux (2016, 2017) Scilly Isles Novices' Chase -(2) New Little Bric (2007), Herecomesthetruth (2009) Ascot Chase -(1) Kauto Star (2008) Top Novices' Hurdle -(1) Pierrot Lunaire (2008) Manifesto Novices' Chase -(1) Clarcam (2015) Anniversary 4-Y-O Novices' Hurdle -(2) Le Duc (2003), Zarkandar (2011) Betway Bowl -(2) What a Friend (2010), Kemboy (2019) Aintree Hurdle -(5) Ilnamar (2002), Sacundai (2003), Asian Maze (2006), Zarkandar (2013), Annie Power (2016) Mildmay Novices' Chase -(2) Big Buck's (2008), Silviniaco Conti (2012) Mersey Novices' Hurdle -(4) Garde Champetre (2004), Natal (2006), Elusive Dream (2008), Nichols Canyon (2015) Melling Chase -(3) Fadalko (2001), Master Minded (2011), Min (2019) Sefton Novices' Hurdle -(1) Asian Maze (2005) Liverpool Hurdle -(4) Big Buck's (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012) Maghull Novices' Chase -(3) Le Roi Miguel (2003), Twist Magic (2007), Tataniano (2010) Celebration Chase -(2) Andreas (2008), Twist Magic (2009)

France Grande Course de Haies d'Auteuil -(2) Thousand Stars (2011, 2012) Prix Alain du Breil -(3) Strangely Brown (2005), Diakali (2013), Footpad (2016) Grand Prix d'Automne -(1) Thousand Stars (2015)

Australia Ecycle Solutions Grand National Steeplechase -(1) Bashboy (2015)

United States Grand National Hurdle Stakes -(1) Rawnaq (2016)

Japan Nakayama Grand Jump -(1) Blackstairmountain (2013)