Walsh favourite for Cheltenham honours Ruby Walsh is the 11/10 favourite with Ladbrokes for the Thomas Pink Leading Rider Award at the Cheltenham Festival despite still being on the sidelines through injury. His book of rides should include Master Minded in the Queen Mother Champion Chase and Quevega in the David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle, and with ample support from their trainers Paul Nicholls and Willie Mullins, Walsh will be hoping to secure the title for the fourth consecutive year and the sixth time in total. Barry Geraghty, stable jockey at Nicky Henderson's Seven Barrows stable, and winner of the title in 2003, is the second favourite at 3/1. As well as an army of runners from the stable including Finian's Rainbow in the Arkle Challenge Trophy and Bobs Worth in the Neptune Novices' Hurdle, the in-form rider will also take the mount on the Colm Murphy-trained Big Zeb in the Queen Mother Champion Chase. Tony McCoy, the 15-time Champion Jockey, hasn't won the Leading Rider title since 1998, but is 6/1 to regain his crown with Binocular in the Champion Hurdle the pick of his mounts, whilst Robert Thornton, winner of the award in 2007, is next in the market at 12/1. Fellow previous winner Richard Johnson is a 16/1 shot for the title.
