Ruby Walsh - Co. Kildare, Ireland
Ruby Walsh is one of the most famous and successful jockeys in the world. Son of the former champion amateur jockey Ted Walsh, Ruby Walsh won his first Irish amateur title in 1996/7 at just 18 yers of age and then again in 1997/8, before turning professional. At just 20 years old he rode to victory in the Aintree Grand National in 2000 at his first attempt, on Papillon, a horse trained by his father. Father and son then went on to win the Irish Grand National with Commanche Court the same year.
In the 2004/5 season Walsh won three of the four Nationals: the Irish on the 2006 Grand National winner, Numbersixvalverde, the Welsh on subsequent 2007 Grand National winner Silver Birch, and the English on Hedgehunter.
To date Walsh has ridden over fourteen hundred winners including seventeen winners at the Cheltenham Festival including the 2007 Cheltenham Gold Cup on the favourite, Kauto Star and a second Queen Mother success in 2008 on the brilliant five-year-old Master Minded. In 2007, Walsh won the inaugural British Horseracing Board Jockeys' Order of Merit award.
