Ruby Walsh has maintained an astonishing record as a jump jockey over the years and his retirement brings to an end one of Ireland’s most distinguished sporting careers.
While Walsh finished with over 2,700 winners, including victories in the Grand National, the Gold Cup and the Champion Hurdle, like his great friend Tony McCoy, he also displayed huge courage in recovering from a frightening list of injuries.
It was entirely appropriate that the tributes to him were led by President Michael D Higgins and his family will be hugely relieved that the legendary figure rightly described by McCoy as the National Hunt’s Lionel Messi stands down at the age of 39 in excellent health.
