Ruby Walsh retires at the top with Punchestown Gold Cup

Ruby Walsh celebrates winning the Coral Punchestown Gold Cup on Kemboy. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

The 39-year-old decided to end his brilliant career in the saddle following a two-length victory aboard Willie Mullins’ charge in the Grade One event.

Walsh waved goodbye to the Punchestown crowd after Kemboy saw off the Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Al Boum Photo in fine style.

He retires having ridden over 2,500 winners and with more Cheltenham Festival successes than any other rider.

Walsh said: “I think I knew going out that if he won, I wouldn’t be riding again. I probably thought the same with Rathvinden at Aintree.

“Nothing goes on forever and it has always been about big races – it doesn’t get any bigger here than that. When a decision is made in your head, it’s easy enough to say it and I made it a good while ago. When I broke my leg at Cheltenham last year, I felt I couldn’t do that again.

“Time moves on, I’ve done it for 24 years and, to be honest, I want to do something else over the next 24 – I’m just not sure what.”

At one point Walsh had the best of both worlds, riding as main jockey to Paul Nicholls in Britain and Willie Mullins in Ireland, before deciding to spend more time at home.

He really burst on to the scene when winning the 2000 Grand National on Papillon, trained by his father, Ted. He would also win the race on Mullins’ Hedgehunter in 2005.

Perhaps the two horses who Walsh will be most remembered for, though, were the two-time Champion Hurdle hero Hurricane Fly and the dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Kauto Star.

Paul Nicholls trained Kauto Star and Walsh was aboard for each of his five King George VI Chase wins, as well as his Festival triumphs.

Nicholls said: “The relationship with Kauto Star obviously particularly comes to mind. We had some amazing days with him, all the King Georges, the Gold Cups.

“We had some fantastic horses at that time – Denman, Neptune Collonges, Big Bucks, Master Minded – they were all just great days.

“It’s just great to see him go out doing what he does best.

“He’s been a fantastic jockey, a fantastic ambassador for the sport and he’s just a great man. He’s one of the best jockeys ever to ride for us and will always be a friend.

“I just wish him all the best and I’m thrilled to see him go out like this, in one piece with no more injuries.”

Mullins added: “Ruby was fantastic there, I’m delighted for him.

“Ruby just got off him and said ‘can you find someone for Livelovelaugh?’ and I was thinking is he lame, concussed or dehydrated, but he said ‘I’m out of here’ and the penny dropped.

“What more can you say? I just shook his hand. It was totally out of the blue for me as well, we’d never discussed it. I had no idea.

“It’s the end of an era, what a career he’s had with me and Paul Nicholls, what a career. It will be strange without him. He was just a natural.

“A lot of thought went into him changing from amateur to professional, thankfully he did. He’ll be hugely missed.

“We barely had a crossed word the whole time, a difference of opinion maybe but never to a cross stage.”

Meanwhile, at Musselburgh today, Iain Jardine and Keith Dalgleish are each double-handed in the most valuable event on an eight-race card.

Jardine saddles Golden Jeffrey and Tomorrow’s Angel with Dalgleish represented by Sebastian’s Wish and Maulesden May in the Macroberts LLP Handicap over a mile and a half.

“Golden Jeffrey has won over hurdles and on the Flat at Musselburgh so he will always run his race,” Jardine said. “Tomorrow’s Angel has done well since coming to us last year. She’s gone close on the Flat and over jumps.”

In the Follow @RacingTV On Twitter Handicap a maximum field of 14 lines up as Paul Midgley’s Twentysvnthlancers bids to repeat his success in the same race last year.