Ted Walsh has more reason than most to love Cheltenham

‘What a racing life’. A phrase that perfectly captures the Walsh family’s remarkable legacy at the Cheltenham Festival.

When you think of Prestbury Park’s most famous four days in March, one of Kildare’s most iconic families is never too far away.

The elder statesman of the Walsh dynasty, Ted Walsh has worn many hats in the Cotswolds in over half a century attending the Festival. First as a Champion Chase-winning jockey, then a Grade One-winning trainer and then the proud parent describing some of his offspring’s finest hours from the pundits chair.

It is a week that has provided the 75-year-old with memories to last a lifetime and he said: “I enjoy everything about the Cheltenham Festival and after a few years going over there we got a cottage across the road from a woman called Mrs Hanks.

“We could walk over to the races every day then walk home at night and it is a week I would always look forward to.

“There’s been some outstanding days there and from a personal point of view Commanche Court winning the Triumph Hurdle and winning the Champion Chase as a jockey aboard Hilly Way would be right up there. Then the days where Ruby, Katie or myself did well, they are the ones I will always remember.”

It was back in 1979 that Walsh would win the two-mile chasing showpiece aboard Peter McCreery’s Hilly Way, but bigger days would come out of the saddle as 18 years later he enjoyed one of his defining moments as a trainer with Triumph Hurdle success.

“Winning the Champion Chase was a big thing, I would always say the Champion Chase is a poor relation to the Gold Cup, but I wasn’t disappointed when I came back in anyway,” added Walsh.

“With Commanche Court, my dad wasn’t long after passing, I had taken out the licence and I had bought him with the hope he’d turn out as he did and everything went smoothly.

“He went and won the Triumph and it gave me the confidence to back my judgement and that I knew what I was doing. The way he delivered on the day and everything was just magic.

“It was a shame he met a very good Gold Cup horse in Best Mate a few years later (when second) and that of course was disappointing, but he was a 20-1 shot and on the day I was delighted at the time. Looking back though it would have been a fairytale if he had gone on to win the Gold Cup with Ruby on.”

Walsh would only have to wait five years to watch Ruby finally lift the Gold Cup aloft thanks to Kauto Star as the next generation firmly made their mark on Prestbury Park.

Ruby Walsh’s exploits remain unprecedented, but not one for being in the shadows, sister Katie also enjoyed her own moment in the spotlight much to the delight of her proud father.

Walsh continued: “I never took a winner at Cheltenham for granted and Ruby riding his first winner aboard Alexander Banquet (1998) at Cheltenham was a very special moment and I’ll never forget Ruby riding Kauto to win two Gold Cups (2007 and 2009).

“Another day I will always remember is when I heard the commentator call out that Ruby Walsh had passed Pat Taaffe’s record of Cheltenham winners.

“I know Ruby would go one to ride countless more winners and it was hard to believe some of the success he would have, but I held Pat in great esteem and I never dreamed in my wildest dreams that Ruby would go past Pat Taaffe, it was something special.

“Katie then rode her first winner there for Ferdy Murphy (Poker De Sivola) and that was a huge occasion as well. She went on to win the Country Hurdle on the grey horse, Thousand Stars. From a personal point of view you can never forget those days.”

For Walsh those victories of his children were made even sweeter by the fact he could enjoy them from one of the best seats in the house, perched above the winner’s enclosure and in the company of great friends Jim McGrath and John Francome.

An ever-present during the Festival in the era of Channel 4 Racing, Walsh’s ability to convey parental pride while delivering typically cutting analysis was a hallmark of four-days of must-watch sporting action.

“I would be working in the box with Jim McGrath and John Francome and when Ruby came back in he would always look up just for the thumbs up and a little nod and for a father and son they were special occasions,” said Walsh.

“What a racing life and I was fortunate as a parent to be there and so close to the action for those moments and I’ll always appreciate how lucky I was.”

He went on: “Working with John and Jim was a joy in itself and they are two people I admired. One was a great journalist and the other one of the best jockeys you’ll see and to be working with them for Cheltenham was always something to look forward to – it was never work.”

Of course, not all Walsh’s favourite memories involve his family and when asked to pick some out they understandably had Irish interests at heart.

“The two that don’t involve my family were Dawn Run winning the Gold Cup with Jonjo (O’Neill) and Honeysuckle with Rachael Blackmore, not so much winning the Champion Hurdle, but her last win when she came back to win the mares’ race,” he said.

“Dawn Run was magnificent getting up to beat Wayward Lad, but Honeysuckle was very poignant after the accident of Jack de Bromhead and for the mare to go out and win that day for the De Bromheads was spine-tingling.”