Katie Walsh was supposed to ride in the bumper at Punchestown today but, as with so many parts of horseracing, there were some late changes and she found herself with another mount.
The 33-year-old was actually third in line to ride Willie Mullins' Antey in the 2-mile Novice Hurdle but, when she got the nod, she was ready.
Walsh was pushed all the way in the race but Antey powered home over the final stretch and she raised an exultant arm as they crossed the line in triumph. The jockey, who has featured in 'more Grade Ones than I'd like to remember', then chose that moment as a perfect way to retire.
"I'm just so happy I'm going out on my terms," Walsh told At the Races.
Walsh said she had been thinking about her retirement for a while and she is ready for the next chapter in her life. "I just said that whenever I rode the next winner then that'd be it. I'm just lucky I picked up a spare in the Handicap Hurdle and to ride it for Willie makes it extra special."
https://twitter.com/AtTheRaces/status/989938639281913856
Family, friends and colleagues were all at Punchestown to roar Walsh on so her retirement party, tonight, will be jam-packed.
This week on your favourite horse racing podcast, The Paddock, we’re joined by Oli Bell, Rishi Persad, Tom Stanley and a post-Cheltenham Dan Skelton. The panel dives straight into a festival debrief, including Dan’s winners at the festival and UK trainers closing the gap on Ireland. Dan also takes us through the not so small […]
A decision has been made. One of the biggest stories from Cheltenham this year was the row between jockeys Nico de Boinville and Declan Queally. After a false start during the Turners Novices’ Hurdle on the second day of the festival, De Boinville was seen berating Queally for taking his space on the inside ahead of […]
Not a good look. Five Irish jockeys have been issued whip bans by the British Horse Racing Authority’s Whip Review Committee, following the Cheltenham Festival. JJ Slevin, who won the Stayers’ Hurdle on the Joseph O’Brien trained Home By The Lee, has banned for 14 days, after using is whip twice above the allowed rate […]