Ruby Walsh Top Jockey at Cheltenham Festival

It will come as no surprise to those of us paying attention to the rise of the one and only Ruby Walsh that he is now the most successful current rider at The Festival thanks to an unprecedented seven victories in 2009. After scoring on Quevega in the David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle on day one, Walsh rattled off three successes in as many races on the second day, winning on Mikael D’Haguenet and Cooldine for Willie Mullins and guiding the Paul Nicholls-trained Master Minded to a second successive victory in the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase. He also triumphed in Thursday’s championship contest, the Ladbrokes World Hurdle, on Big Buck’s and ended a phenomenal week by winning on American Trilogy in the Vincent O’Brien County Handicap Hurdle and partnering Kauto Star to an historic second victory in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Walsh has now enjoyed 24 Cheltenham Festival victories and only needs one more success to equal the all-time record set by Pat Taaffe. His nearest rival among the current ranks, Tony McCoy, rode a single winner at The Festival for the third consecutive year last season, courtesy of a tremendous effort from off the pace on Wichita Lineman in the William Hill Trophy Handicap Chase and has a total of 21 triumphs.

Barry Geraghty moved onto 16 Festival wins after enjoying a successful Cheltenham in his first season as retained rider for Nicky Henderson, recording a first Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle triumph with Punjabi and partnering Zaynar to success in the JCB Triumph Hurdle. A trio of victories for Geraghty also included a battling success on the Tom Cooper-trained Forpadytheplasterer in The Irish Independent Arkle Trophy Chase.

With only Walsh and Geraghty registering more than one victory, several new faces made their first visit to the winner’s enclosure at The Festival including Tom O’Brien, nephew of five-time Festival-winning trainer Aidan, and prolific point-to-point rider Jamie Codd. Paddy Flood, Aidan Coleman, Wayne Hutchinson, Will Biddick and Felix de Giles all broke their Festival ducks alongside Brian O’Connell, who partnered Dunguib to a devastating 10-length success in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper.

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