Legendary jumps jockey Ruby Walsh has spoken about the first day of his new life as a retired jumps jockey. The Kildare man surprised the world of racing and sport by immediately calling it a day after he guided 'Kemboy' to win the Punchestown Gold Cup, defeating Cheltenham Gold Cup winner 'Al Boum Photo' in the process.
Walsh told the 'Pat Kenny Show' on Newstalk that he had spoken to his wife Gillian about the right time to quit the saddle. When Kemboy won, Walsh knew "It was as good as stage as I was going to get to walk out."
AP McCoy described Ruby Walsh as the 'Lionel Messi' of the sport, but the most successful jockey in Cheltenham Festival history proclaimed: "AP was great to me. It's very nice of him to say that, but he set the standard for every jump jockey. He was a genius I always thought."
McCoy arguably found it difficult to adjust to life outside of the saddle, but after 2,759 winners in Ireland and Britain, Walsh won't have such issues.
"I'm looking forward to going to Punchestown today under no pressure. I was a jockey for 25 years and I want to do something else for the next 25."
Poignantly, Walsh referenced after his final race that his worst days in racing have been attending the graves of those in the sport that lost their lives, including Kieran Kelly and John Thomas McNamara.
"I never dreamt I could be as fortunate or to achieve what I achieved. I set out as a teenager chasing that dream and thankfully that dream never turned into a nightmare."
A career in media is also likely to beckon for Walsh, who doesn't fancy competing with the likes of Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott in the training ranks.
"Riding racehorses was extremely easy compared to training. I don't really feel like starting at the bottom again."
