Walsh gets Festival going with brilliant hat-trick of winners

It will also be remembered, when the bi-centenary history of the Cheltenham Festival is written in 100 years’ time, for a quite breathtaking hat-trick by a rider who is the most tactically acute horseman of his generation.

Centenary Day deserved a historic performance – and Walsh delivered with a vintage treble correctly forecast by the Yorkshire Post guest tipster, trainer Ferdy Murphy.

But, as the mercurial Irishman Walsh admitted, after landing hurdling’s most prestigious race – surprisingly for the first time – it takes a brilliant horse to be a champion, and he could not have had a more willing partner than the aptly-named Hurricane Fly.

This is a special animal – a horse to lift the spirits of the recession-hit Emerald Isle – who has now won eight Grade One races from nine starts, a phenomenal record of consistency. The pair were serenaded by the predictable chants of ‘Ruby, Ruby, Ruby’ following the sustained gamble on Hurricane Fly.

Spare a thought for Paul Townend, Hurricane Fly’s regular jockey, who is still seeking a first Festival triumph.

For, when trainer Willie Mullins opted for Walsh’s experience over Townend’s potential, there was an air of inevitability about the outcome of the 2011 Stan James Champion Hurdle – despite the tenacity of Donald McCain’s gutsy runner-up Peddlers Cross.

As this select field, minus last year’s sidelined winner Binocular, hurtled down the hill towards the final bend, Walsh looked boxed in on the heavily-backed favourite. Had he lost his touch? No.

Lesser riders would have panicked. Not the ice-cool Walsh. Already buoyed by a confidence-stirring victory on Al Ferof, the eye-catching grey, in the Supreme Novices – the Festival’s first race – he showed that any after-effects from his broken leg and a gash to the head that had briefly halted his comeback a week ago, were minor inconveniences. He bided his time, knowing that the gaps would open, before battling clear of Peddlers Cross, who was losing his unbeaten record.

Typically, 31-year-old Walsh paid tribute to the aforementioned Townend, whose time will come, before finding fault with his own performance as he continues to seek the ultimate in all sport – perfection.

“He never settled really and ran keen, but we know he has the speed and class,” said Walsh. “He’s shown the ability that myself, Willie Mullins and Paul Townend always believed he had. He’s a deserved champion and a right little horse.

“He’s only small but he has a big heart and he needed it today. I probably got there a fraction too soon, but he never gave me a chance early doors.”

Mullins – who teamed up with Walsh to saddle Hedgehunter, the 2005 Grand National hero – was also celebrating a first Champion Hurdle.

“It wasn’t a hard decision to let Ruby ride him. Paul has had a fantastic innings while Ruby has been out and, hopefully, we can make him champion jockey in Ireland, but you can’t leave Ruby Walsh on the sidelines when you have a Champion Hurdle favourite,” he said.

The ever-modest Walsh had no time to celebrate the fact that he had become only the third jockey – behind Richard Johnson and Barry Geraghty – to win all four ‘blue riband’ races at the Festival.

A change of silks and he was guiding Quevega, not seen on the racecourse for 11 months, to a third-successive victory in the David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle, again for Mullins, with an armchair ride that oozed confidence.

This was not arrogance, but pure poetry – a jockey who appreciated that his mare had the class if she was good enough. They were at one.

But, while Walsh looked ahead to upcoming rides on the likes of Master Minded, Big Buck’s and Kauto Star, two people had particular reason to toast Hurricane Fly.

Firstly, Patrick Mullins – the son of the winning trainer – who had vowed to jog to his college lectures in his Speedos if Hurricane Fly finished behind Menorah. His blushes are spared; Richard Johnson’s horse was a tired fifth.

And, secondly, Peter Easterby – the great Ryedale trainer who remains the Champion Hurdle’s joint most victorious trainer with Nicky Henderson, after the latter’s Oscar Whisky was third.

Easterby’s record of five victories remains intact for another year.

But his smile was nothing compared to the grin etched across Ruby Walsh’s face – and the cheers of all those who never doubted the most successful jockey in the Cheltenham Festival’s history.