Walsh reflects on memorable day

Ted Walsh this morning reflected with Des Cahill on Morning Ireland on a memorable afternoon's action at Cheltenham yesterday when son Ruby became the winning-most rider (number 26 to surpass Pat Taaffe's record) at the Festival on Sanctuaire, daughter Katie landed the 'four-miler' on Poker De Sivola and on Davy Russell's comments in the aftermath of his success on Weapon's Amnesty in the RSA Chase.

He said: "It was wonderful for Katie as she's had maybe only one or two rides ever at the meeting. Ruby would be having four or five rides every day so he has a chance of riding plenty of winners. For an amateur and a female amateur in particular it was a great achievement for her and a very proud moment for all of us.

"Herself and Nina (Carberry, runner-up on Becauseicouldntsee) are sharing a room here all week, sleeping side by side, indeed sharing a bed on occasions when things get tight here. They are two great friends and Nina has had plenty of success, riding three or four winners at Cheltenham, so I don't think she begrudged Katie riding the winner. So it was a great occasion.

"I'd be always anxious like any father, when she goes out in a four-mile chase to jump twenty eight fences, she is only a little bit of a thing, twenty-four-years of age, you'd be always wondering if she got a fall and got hurt, something like that. Then I was hoping that she'd get a good old spin out of him, he was a 14/1 shot and it wasn't until she turned off the last bend that I thought she might have a chance of winning and then you get a bit excited. It is like any sporting occasion, you just get the revs up like any parent standing on the sideline or anything else. Emotion takes over.

"You might as well ask McCririck (Channel 4 pundit, John, after comments he made about Brian O'Connell's ride on Dunguib) to say Mass as to ask him to apoligise. He has that sort of make-up, he was out of place to say it in the first place. I think even giving fellas like him even credence, I mean what he says, other than insulting you, nobody takes any notice of him. He is a big oaf that just likes to play to the gallery.

"I was very close to having a go at him on the Morning Line. John Francome, who was sitting alongside me, put his hand on me knee and said don't go near it, he is not worth debating with, and he is probably not. I know where Davy (Russell, asked for a public apology) was coming from though as it was an insulting remark about a young fella (Brian O'Connell) who is trying to make his name.

"Alright it mightn't have been Brian O'Connell’s finest moment but he doesn't need someone like him, definitely as an Irish man you don't need an English man putting a six inch nail in your coffin.

"Brian O'Connell is a fine jockey but you just don't need, as an Irish man, an English man giving you a kick in the 'town-halls.'