Legendary jockey Ruby Walsh has retired from horse racing with immediate effect after riding Kemboy to this evening's Punchestown Gold Cup.
In a glittering career, he rode over 2500 winners including momentous victories including Kauto Star in the 2007 and 2009 Cheltenham Gold Cup. Walsh was crowned the leading jockey at the Cheltenham Festival an incredible 11 years, including four successive years from 2014 to 2017.
Kemboy led home a one-two for trainer Willie Mullins in the Coral Punchestown Gold Cup, the feature event on day two of the Punchestown Festival.
Ruby Walsh opted to partner Kemboy of Mullins' three runners and his decision was justified as the seven-year-old proved too good for his Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning stablemate in the Grade One feature.
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 said: "He jumped really well. He quickened and quickened and quickened - he has pace and stamina and has a real knack of jumping."
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