Ruby Walsh
Jockey extraordinaire Ruby Walsh is the current Irish National Hunt champion jockey. He has had a phenomenal string of wins throughout his racing career. His father Ted Walsh is a former champion amateur jockey.
Ruby Walsh is the only rider in modern times to have won all four Nationals – the English Grand National and the Scottish Grand National in 2000, the Irish Grand National on Commanche Court in 2000 and on Numbersixvervalde in 2006, and the Welsh Grand National in 2007.
Walsh has jockeyed an amazing total of 14 winners at the Cheltenham Festival. From most to least recent, these include:
- 2007: Cheltenham Gold Cup - Kauto Star; Royal & Sun Alliance Chase - Denman; Ryanair Chase - Taranis
- 2006: William Hill Trophy Handicap Chase - Dun Doire; Supreme Novices’ Hurdle - Noland; County Hurdle Desert Quest
- 2005: Champion Bumper - Missed That; Daily Telegraph Chase - Thisthatandtother
- 2004: Queen Mother Champion Chase - Azertyuiop; Grand Annual Handicap Chase - St Pirran; County Hurdle - Sporazene
- 2003: Arkle Challenge Trophy - Azertyuiop
- 2002: Mildmay of Flete Handicap Chase - Blowing Wind
- 1998: Champion Bumper - Alexander Banquet
Some of the other major wins for Walsh include the 2006 Tingle Creek Chase and the King George VI Chase on Kauto Star, the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup in 2003 on Strong Flow, and the Whitbread Gold Cup on Ad Hoc, in both 2001 and 2003. In 2007, Walsh was awarded the first ever British Horseracing Board Jockeys’ Order of Merit award.
Numbersixvervalde
If Numbersixvervalde rides the 2008 Irish Grand National, he’s bound to be a betting favourite. As well as winning the 2005 Irish Grand National with Ruby Walsh in the saddle, Irish-born Numbersixvervalde achieved a sixth place in the 2007 Irish Grand National. Trained by Martin Brassil, Numbersixvervalde won the 2006 Aintree Grand National with jockey Niall ‘Slippers’ Madden, ahead of Ruby Walsh’s Hedgehunter.
You can be assured that any horse jockeyed by Ruby Walsh will be betting favourite.
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