Ruby Walsh

Yeah he was OK

I’ve been giving this some thought and analysing why I don't care about Ruby retiring and I think the main reason I have no real strong feelings is that, although he's every bit as good as AP was (I know many would say better) he has never done me the favors that AP has done. Never won on 14/1 shots that should never have won. Never battled like hell just to get a place on 14/1 shots even. And that's because he just doesn't ride 14/1 shots. I've just looked at his latest runners and, although Sporting Life is only showing me about 50, all but 2 of his winners have been under 11/2 (one at 11/2 and one at 6/1).

Put simply, he is always on the better horses at meetings whereas AP (due to the fact that he wasn't retained by anyone before JP McManus and because he rode all kinds of stinkers at all kinds of prices when he worked for him) rode horses at all prices and would make sure he'd do everything he could to get the best result out of them.

Having said that, listing to Ruby, it's obvious that he is more intelligent than AP and has a sharper wit but that's stuff that his retirement will mean I will see more of on TV so I find it difficult to care that he's retired.

Great horseman. Great career and i wish him all the best,