Ruby Walsh to Resume Race-Riding on Friday

The Cheltenham master is returning to race-riding this Friday at Newbury and punters will likely be playing Ruby Walsh’s mounts particularly hard for the entirety of the day’s card. The leading Irish jockey of his generation, Ruby Walsh managed to break Pat Taaffe’s seemingly unbeatable Cheltenham winners’ record at last year’s festival.

Walsh broke his leg back in November at Down Royal shortly after winning in the irons aboard Kauto Star for his seasonal debut.

The preferred stable jockey for the Paul Nicholls yard and popular Irish trainer Willy Mullins, Walsh will have first choice of mounts for the entirety of the festival and if he manages to return in cracking form then punters can expect certain betting markets to be sent into a tizzy.

Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, Walsh played up his chances at Cheltenham. “I can’t wait to get back. I feel grand, 100%... We have decided that I will be back riding at newbury on Friday.”

The 30 year-old Irishman also mentioned that Paul Nicholls has asked him to pilot 2009 Irish Grand National winner Niche Market on Saturday.

Two of Walsh’s premier mounts are already considered to be particularly strong favourites and an in-form Ruby will mean their prices could shorten. Master Minded and Big Buck’s are each seeking a three-peat in the Queen Mother Champion Chase and the Ladbrokes World Hurdle, respectively.