Jump legend Ruby Walsh announces retirement at Punchestown

Ruby Walsh announced his immediate retirement moments after landing the Coral Punchestown Gold Cup on Kemboy on Wednesday evening.

The 39-year-old opted to call time on his brilliant career after a pulsating two-length victory aboard Willie Mullins' charge in the Grade One event, the highlight of the five-day meeting.

Walsh's wife, Gillian, and young children were quickly by his side and as the news spread the winner's enclosure quickly bulged with wellwishers. His parents and sisters were among them.

Three cheers rang out and his weighing-room colleagues also got in on the act - Davy Russell and Paul Townend drenching him with buckets of water.

“I was going to go out when I won a big one. After Min was beaten yesterday I knew I had Kemboy, Bapaume, Melon and Benie Des Dieux to come," Walsh said.

"I’m not a poker player and when Kemboy won I wasn’t going to roll the dice again.

"It has always been about big races and I said when I won a big one I could walk away. Nothing goes on forever. I’ve been riding for 24 years and I want to do something else now.

"Any jockey is only as good as the horses they ride and I’ve been lucky to ride some of the greatest horses of my lifetime.

“In my own mind I probably came to the decision last summer. I thought that I might get out on Rathvinden in the Grand National but Tiger Roll got in the way and I’d have been kicking myself if I had passed on the opportunity to go out on Kemboy."

Walsh relaxed and smiled through a series of interviews. There were no tears, or sense of doubt or regret.

“I’ve been looking forward to this day not dreading it – when your mind is made up it’s made up," he said. "In terms of my career I didn’t dream or foresee what has happened to me.

"Do I feel lucky? Yes, I do and I’m lucky I am walking away in one piece. When I told my dad last week he was just delighted that I was doing what I wanted to do.”

It was wholly appropriate that Walsh, perhaps the greatest jump jockey there has been, should bow out with a winner at the highest level for Mullins, who he joined when only 16.

"It's a long time not to fall out with someone" he had said at Fairyhouse only last month after riding Mullins' first Irish Grand National winner.

The combinbation enjoyed numerous dizzy highs but Walsh also suffered the lows, breaking just about every bone in his body (at least once) during his decorated career, not to mention having his spleen removed.

Twice in recent years the 12-time Irish champion, who rode more than 2,700 winners, has suffered a fractured leg and spent months on the sidelines.

This campaign the two-time Grand National-winning rider has stayed relatively injury-free but has ridden less and been more selective with his rides.

All along he has never lost any of his judgement, nerve or passion. In the past couple of months alone, knowing the big days would be gone forever, he has enjoyed high-profile triumphs at Cheltenham, Aintree, Fairyhouse and Punchestown.

Walsh was blessed with riding many of racing's most reverred equine names, although it was probably no coincidence. They were equally blessed with him being aboard.

Kauto Star, Denman, Big Buck's, Hurricane Fly, Faugheen, Un De Sceaux, Azertyuiop, Annie Power, Douvan, Vautour, Champagne Fever and Master Minded were just a few of the stars that he shone on.

Those headline acts helped him win all of racing's glittering prizes and he was top jockey at the Cheltenham Festival on 11 occasions.

But ask him for his own career highlight and he will always return to Papillon, who he guided to Grand National glory for his father, Ted, in 2000. It was the ultimate family triumph and also announced him on the big stage.

There were few more satisfying sights than watching Walsh sitting motionless on a half-tonne thoroughbred in full flight. He was also a master tactician with a fierce will to win.

He will leave a void, but racing should rejoice that he has gone out still at the top, riding as brilliantly as ever and very much on his own terms.