If any man was going to make it, it was going to be Ruby Walsh.
The iron man of horse racing, the iron man of Irish sport, the man with wolverine like healing powers has been defeated by injury, but he will be back soon.
Kildare jockey Ruby Walsh has confirmed that he will not be fit to ride in Punchestown next week. The 38-year-old suffered a repeat break of his leg when he fell off Al Boum Photo at the second last fence of the RSA Chase in the Cheltenham Festival in March.
This all came after the festival's most successful ever jockey had pushed his body to its very limits to make it back into the saddle just in time for the Cotswolds. He had suffered a broken leg in November when he fell off Let's Dance in a Mare's Hurdle, which kept him on the sideline for four months.
Harrowing scenes followed in Pretsbury Park with Ruby limping off the track, aided by his father Ted, with his Cheltenham hopes and dreams in tatters.
He always comes back for more, however, and this would be no different from the
21 serious career injuries he had suffered up to this point.
In true Ruby style, he came out all guns blazing and it wasn't long before he'd his sights set on a return in time for the Punchestown Festival which begins next Tuesday (April 24) and runs until next Saturday.
He revealed to Racing UK on Friday morning, however, that his body had defeated him in that race, after a doctor had told him his leg was not yet strong enough.
“It is hugely disappointing, but I am looking forward to riding once again in the new season."
The physical pain isn't the sore part for Ruby, it never is. It'll be watching the likes of Douvan and Penhill go to post without him.
That's what Ruby is made of. That's what these jockeys are made of.
