Ruby Walsh - Present

Present

Walsh's recent dominance of the jockeys' championship in Ireland is all the more remarkable given that he has a unique riding arrangement with two powerful stables, one on either side of the Irish Sea. Based in Calverstown, County Kildare, where he lives with his wife Gillian, he rides predominantly for Willie Mullins in Ireland, and also spends a substantial proportion of his time riding in England for Somerset-based champion trainer Paul Nicholls, the trainer of Kauto Star. He also takes the occasional ride for his father, Ted, and a variety of other, mainly Irish, trainers.

In January 2007, Walsh achieved the fastest ever century of winners in Irish jumps racing history aboard Bluestone Lad at Gowran Park. He ended the 2006/07 season with a combined total in Ireland and the UK of 198 winners, higher than any other jockey from either country that year. (This total was later increased to 200 on the disqualification of two horses for positive tests to banned substances. In both instances, Walsh had ridden the subsequently-promoted runners-up.) He repeated this feat in 2007/08, riding his 200th winner on Andreas at Sandown on his penultimate ride of the season. He rode his 1,000th Irish winner, Rare Article, at Sligo in May 2008. In more recent times, he rode My Will into 3rd place in the 2009 Grand National behind 100/1 longshot Mon Mome.

Ruby became a dad for the first time when his wife Gillian gave birth to a baby girl, Isabelle, in October 2009.

• His sister Katie Walsh is also one of the top female jockeys.

• His brother Ted Walsh Junior is married to female jockey Nina Carberry.