This is not what we wanted to see.
Ruby Walsh got his Cheltenham Festival off to a flying start on Tuesday. Riding both Footpad and Benie Des Dieux to victory, the Kildare man had a wide smile on his face all day in the Cotswolds.
Just back in the saddle after being on the sidelines for five months due to a broken right tibia, Walsh’s delight at riding his 57th and 58th winners in Cheltenham Festival history was understandable.
The life of a jockey is a rollercoaster one. Less than half an hour after guiding his second winner to pass the post first on Tuesday, Ruby was on the deck after a rough fall off Livelovelaugh.
Typically hard as nails, the iron man of racing was straight back up to his feet.
On Wednesday, he suffered a similar fall but this time he was slow to rise.
Walsh’s mount Al Boum Photo suffered a crushing fall at the penultimate flight in the 2.10 RSA Chase. Cheltenham’s most successful ever jockey landed awkwardly on his previously broken leg, and it didn’t look good as he remained on the ground for minutes after he hit the deck.
He was soon aided off the track by his father Ted, but the limp on his right leg was very pronounced. The track helicopter soon arrived to the track to take Ruby away to the hospital and he was replaced by Paul Townend for his next ride of the day, on Max Dynamite.
He has been stood down for the whole day’s racing. Paddy Mullins will take the ride on Douvan in the Champion Chase.
It is being reported that he has suffered a repeated break of the same leg.
Updates to follow.
