Ruby Walsh: Horse racing great retires after Punchestown Gold Cup win

Walsh rode Kemboy to a two-length victory over Al Boum Photo in what was his final race

Star jockey Ruby Walsh announced his retirement immediately after riding joint favourite Kemboy to victory in the Punchestown Gold Cup.

The 39-year-old has been one of the finest National Hunt jockeys in history, riding over 2,500 winners in a 24-year career.

His total of 59 Cheltenham Festival successes is more than any other rider and he won the Grand National twice.

"I think I knew going out that if he won I wouldn't ride again," he said.

"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."

Walsh with wife Gillian after announcing his retirement

Wednesday's Gold Cup was another one-two finish for trainer Willie Mullins, with Al Boum Photo finishing second.

Walsh opted to partner Kemboy, one of Mullins' three runners in the feature race on the second day of the festival, for what proved to be the final race of a hugely successful career.

Reflecting on Wednesday's Gold Cup win, the County Kildare native added: "He jumped really well. He quickened and quickened and quickened - he has pace and stamina and has a real knack of jumping."

Kemboy's win denied stablemate Al Boum Photo a Cheltenham and Gold Cup double.

The Storyteller finished third, with last year's winner Belishill (6/1) fourth.

Kemboy came unstuck at the first fence at Cheltenham as Al Boum Photo claimed the blue riband, but he gained compensation under a positive ride from Walsh.

British raider Definitly Red disputed the early lead with the eventual winner, but it was a duel between the Mullins' runners turning for home, with Al Boum Photo unable to go with Kemboy, who ran out a two-length victor.

There was a further 22 lengths back to the The Storyteller in third.

Walsh won two Gold Cups, both on Kauto Star, in 2007 and 2009

Walsh burst on to the racing 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 among numerous other wins.

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."

"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 willalways be a friend."

Analysis

BBC horse racing correspondent Cornelius Lysaght

It's not a massive surprise that Ruby Walsh has retired now. He's 40 in a fortnight's time, has had a couple of bad injuries in recent years and clearly has absolutely nothing to prove.

There was talk that it would happen at Aintree if he won the Grand National again, but Punchestown is more appropriate being his 'home' track in the heart of Irish jump racing country in Kildare.

He retires as one of the sport's all-time greats, a giant in the saddle on - unlike many other riding giants - both sides of the Irish Sea.

A supreme horseman who guided his mounts rather than instructed them, and those mounts included many of the sport's history-makers like Kauto Star, Hurricane Fly and Quevega.