Born 14th May 1979, Rupert ‘Ruby’ Walsh of County Kildare, Ireland is recognised as one of the best National Hunt jockeys in the world. The son of Irish trainer Ted Walsh and named after his grandfather (another successful trainer), Ruby’s first walk around the Grand National course was when he was just nine years old, prior to the 1989 victory of Little Polveir.

He returned 11 years later, aged 20, to make his Grand National debut and won it by one and a half lengths on American-owned Papillon, a horse trained by his father. This win was against all odds, as in September 1999, he broke his collarbone and the following month, his leg whilst riding in the Czech Republic. In January, he reopened his leg fracture in another fall, and was only just fit for the Cheltenham Festival in March. Yet the following month he won the Grand National during his debut in the race. He reinforced his growing reputation by winning the Irish Grand National on Commanche Court just fifteen days later, and rounded up the season by winning the Punchestown Heineken Gold Cup.

In his next four National rides, he twice finished in fourth place and scored a second, 14 length victory on Hedgehunter, the 7-1 favourite of 2005. This triumphant win established Walsh as the first jockey to have won the Welsh, Irish and Aintree Nationals in the same season.

Walsh has ridden over 1400 winners and in 2007, won the inaugural British Horseracing Board Jockeys’ Order of Merit award. He has been the leading jockey at the Cheltenham Festival in 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2009, and this year rode a record-breaking seven winners over the four days of the festival. He has won the Irish jump jockeys’ title on six occasions to date – 1998/99, 2000/01, 2004/05, 2005/06, 2006/07 and 2007/08.

He is truly recognised as force to reckoned with, and so famous is he that one of Ireland’s greatest musicians Christy Moore has written a song ‘The Ballad of Ruby Walsh’ in his honour!

Though I don’t know which horse Ruby will choose for the 2010 Grand National, ante post bets are now being taken at Paddy Power!