Ruby Walsh was the man of the moment at the 2009 Cheltenham Festival, after winning 7 races across the four days, breaking the record for most wins by a single jockey across the festival.
His first came at the end of day 1 in the Mares’ Hurdle riding Quevega, but on day 2 Walsh won three races in a row and all of them favourites, including the Queen Mother Championship Chase, with Master Minded.
He added the World Hurdle on day 3 with Big Buck’s, and then went on to win the biggest race of them all on day 4, steering Kauto Star to his second Gold Cup win.
Paul Nicholls continued his reign as top trainer for a fourth year in a row, and since Walsh was his go to jockey, that means he took three of the feature races this year.
The bookies took a battering in the first two days of the festival but had almost made up for it by the end of day three, and the results on Gold Cup Day left the punters and the bookmakers more or less even.
There were a few significant changes made to the 2009 festival too, with racing starting at 1.30pm each day rather than 2.00pm, the feature races moving to 3.20pm on each day to increase the build up, and an extra race being added on Gold Cup day in the form of the Martin Pipe Conditional Hurdle.
10th March 2009 – Day One (Champion Day)
| Time | Race | Winner | Odds | Jockey / Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13:30 | Supreme Novices' Hurdle | Go Native | 12/1 |
J: Paul Carberry
T: N Meade
|
| 14:05 | Arkle Challenge Trophy | Forpadydeplasterer | 8/1 |
J: Barry Geraghty
T: Thomas Cooper
|
| 14:40 | Festival Trophy Handicap Chase | Wichita Lineman | 5/1 F |
J: A P McCoy
T: Jonjo O'Neill
|
| 15:20 | The Champion Hurdle | Punjabi | 22/1 |
J: Barry Geraghty
T: N J Henderson
|
| 16:00 | Cross Country Chase | Garde Champetre | 7/2 |
J: Ms N Carberry
T: E Bolger
|
| 16:40 | Mares' Hurdle | Quevega | 2/1 F |
J: Ruby Walsh
T: W P Mullins
|
11th March 2009 – Day Two (Ladies’ Day)
| Time | Race | Winner | Odds | Jockey / Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13:30 | National Hunt Chase | Tricky Trickster | 11/1 |
J: Mr Sam Waley-Cohen
T: N Twiston-Davies
|
| 14:05 | Ballymore Novices' Hurdle | Mikael D'Haguenet | 5/2 F |
J: Ruby Walsh
T: W P Mullins
|
| 14:40 | Brown Advisory Novices' Chase | Cooldine | 9/4 F |
J: Ruby Walsh
T: W P Mullins
|
| 15:20 | Queen Mother Champion Chase | Master Minded | 4/11 F |
J: Ruby Walsh
T: P F Nicholls
|
| 16:00 | BetMGM Cup | Ninetieth Minute | 14/1 |
J: P W Flood
T: T J Taaffe
|
| 16:40 | Juvenile Novices' Hurdle | Silk Affair | 11/1 |
J: J P O'Brien
T: Michael Quinlan
|
| 17:15 | Champion Bumper | Dunguib | 9/2 |
J: Brian O'Connell
T: Philip Fenton
|
12th March 2009 – Day Three (St. Patrick’s Day)
| Time | Race | Winner | Odds | Jockey / Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13:30 | Novices' Handicap Chase | Chapoturgeon | 8/1 |
J: Timmy Murphy
T: P F Nicholls
|
| 14:05 | Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle | Kayf Aramis | 16/1 |
J: Aidan Coleman
T: V Williams
|
| 14:40 | Ryanair Chase | Imperial Commander | 6/1 |
J: Paddy Brennan
T: N Twiston-Davies
|
| 15:20 | The Stayers' Hurdle | Big Buck's | 6/1 |
J: Ruby Walsh
T: P F Nicholls
|
| 16:00 | Plate Handicap Chase | Something Wells | 33/1 |
J: Mr William Biddick
T: V Williams
|
| 16:40 | Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup | Character Building | 16/1 |
J: Mr J J Codd
T: J Quinn
|
13th March 2009 – Day Four (Gold Cup Day)
| Time | Race | Winner | Odds | Jockey / Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13:30 | JCB Triumph Hurdle | Zaynar | 11/2 |
J: Barry Geraghty
T: N J Henderson
|
| 14:05 | County Handicap Hurdle | American Trilogy | 20/1 |
J: Ruby Walsh
T: P F Nicholls
|
| 14:40 | Spa Novices' Hurdle | Weapon's Amnesty | 8/1 |
J: Davy Russell
T: C Byrnes
|
| 15:20 | The Cheltenham Gold Cup | Kauto Star | 7/4 F |
J: Ruby Walsh
T: P F Nicholls
|
| 16:00 | Foxhunter Challenge Cup | Cappa Bleu | 11/2 |
J: Mr R Burton
T: Mrs Sheila Crow
|
| 16:40 | Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle | Andytown | 25/1 |
J: Felix De Giles
T: N J Henderson
|
| 17:15 | Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase | Oh Crick | 7/1 |
J: Wayne Hutchinson
T: A King
|