Ruby Walsh reveals his favourite Cheltenham Festival memories
It’s time to get excited – the Cheltenham Festival is only three days away, .
It’ll be a week when everlasting memories are made for top jockeys, none more so than the best jockey in Cheltenham Festival history, Ruby Walsh.
The Irish Examiner columnist has ridden 52 winners, including multiple successes in all the major races, and finished as leading jockey ten times.
But Walsh says he doesn’t know how his family put up with him in the build up to racing’s biggest festival.
“I’d say I’m a nightmare to live with. My mood changes. I’d find myself waking earlier and at different times of the day,” Walsh told Irish Examiner racing correspondent Tommy Lyons.
“I’d find myself drifting off in to different places, thinking about scenarios, thinking about races, thinking about which horse you’ll ride in a certain race, what way you’d ride that horse in that race, what way a race might unfold.
“I’d say I become very distant and very self-centred at this time of the year.
“But once I figure it all out and have it all sorted in my head, usually the weekend before Cheltenham I end up quite relaxed. In the run up to that, I would be quite intense.”
There are almost too many winners for Walsh to choose from, but he highlights a few favourites, including one “incredible day”.
“That’s like asking me to pick one of my three kids. I’ve had great momories there. Obviously, Kauto (Star)’s two Gold Cups were amazing.
“The day Hurricane Fly won his first Champion Hurdle… From Al Ferof to Hurricane Fly to Quevega, that was an incredible day for me. I’d been out for a long time with injury and I’d say a lot of people were wondering were Paul Nicholls and Willie Mullins mad putting me back on these horses having only had a week’s riding. I felt that was a big day in my career.
“Obviously, my first winner was great in Alexander Banquet. Annie Power’s last year was special as well.
“I’ve been very lucky there. I could talk to you all night about that, Tommy.”
