Ruby Walsh’s sister Katie reflects on the "unbelievable highs and lows" of her brother’s racing career.

It can’t have just been me who appreciated Lionel Messi that little bit more on Wednesday evening.

So that’s Thursday nearly wrapped up. Here’s some of the stories we published on irishexaminer.com today which we hope will help you make sense of it all this evening.

It was the sweetest of farewells.

After 24 very good years, yesterday I bowed out after winning the Punchestown Gold Cup on Kemboy.

The 39-year-old from Co Kildare made the announcement today after he won the Punchestown Gold Cup riding Kemboy

I was out of luck with my rides yesterday but it was brilliant to see Any Second Now winning the last race for Dad. I was absolutely delighted for him.

It’s fair to say day one of the 2019 Cheltenham Festival had a bit of everything. Driving rain in the hours before the Sky Bet Supreme Novices Hurdle, the traditional curtain-raiser for the biggest week of the racing year, dampened bodies but not enthusiasm.

It’s a reasonably quiet weekend for us and I’m sitting this one out. In any case, I wouldn’t be riding Farid, who runs in the second race, the Grade 3 Juvenile Hurdle, today at Fairyhouse as he is Mark Walsh’s ride.

Despite the small field, today’s Red Mills Chase at Gowran is a fascinating contest and I’m hopeful Killultagh Vic will run a big race.

I was hoping I’d be heading to Heathrow and on to Ascot this morning but I’m not as Un De Sceaux is still in Closutton, says Ruby Walsh.

A busy end to a great four days at Leopardstown and Limerick, and I’m in the Dublin venue for three rides, the highlight of which is Melon in the Grade 1 Ryanair Hurdle.

After the festivities of the last few days, we’re now set for one of the best weeks of the year in racing, writes Ruby Walsh.

It’s a case of the calm before the storm, with one meeting this weekend, at Thurles, and Willie having just one runner, Stay Humble, which Paul rides.

For the first time in a long time I’m heading across the pond to ride, and I’m very much looking forward to it, says Ruby Walsh.

Back for the winter season and it really begins to kick into gear from this point.

It was Walsh's first race since re-breaking his leg four months ago at Cheltenham.

Actress and author Amy Huberman was among guests at a garden party welcoming Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to Dublin yesterday evening.

Ruby Walsh is targeting the Galway Festival as he continues to recover from the broken leg he sustained at Cheltenham in March.

Ruby Walsh is hoping to be given the green light to return to the saddle for next weekend's top-class meeting at Auteuil.

It’s Gold Cup day in Punchestown and while I don’t know if we’ll have the race we had last year, with Sizing John, Djakadam and Coneygree providing a brilliant spectacle, it’s still a great race.

Ruby Walsh has failed in his bid to be fit for the Punchestown Festival next week.

Great and all as the Irish, Scottish and Welsh versions are, nothing quite compares with the Aintree Grand National.

Ruby Walsh, who aggravated an old injury at last week’s Cheltenham Festival, has ruled out making a return in time for Aintree but remains hopeful he will back in the saddle for next month’s Punchestown festival.

Ruby Walsh expects to discover on Wednesday how long he will be out of action for following his latest injury setback.

It’s tough not being a part of the action on Gold Cup day, but that’s my lot for this Festival, unfortunately, writes Ruby Walsh.

If there is a more compelling sportsperson out there right now than Ruby Walsh, then they’ve yet to go mainstream, writes Brendan O’Brien

After the highs of Tuesday, I suffered the lows of racing when falling from Al Boum Photo in yesterday’s RSA Chase.

After suffering a fall at Cheltenham this afternoon, it emerged that Ruby Walsh aggravated the leg break injury that had kept him out since November.

Bookmakers were last night running scared of the fit-again Ruby Walsh ahead of the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival.

In keeping with other years, Willie wasn’t really keen on me riding this weekend, and when Lareena won it took a bit of pressure off everybody, so I’m sitting out the remainder of the week.

Ruby Walsh will make his eagerly-awaited return to the saddle when he takes up one ride at Thurles on Thursday.

Ruby Walsh could return to race-riding at Thurles on Thursday after nearly four months on the sidelines.

The country has almost ground to a halt, and so has racing, but being so close to the Cheltenham Festival it’s crucial that the horses continue to get their exercise.

The leading jockey has been sidelined since suffering a broken leg in a fall from Let's Dance at Punchestown on November 18.

Ruby Walsh has declared the weekend’s inaugural Dublin Racing Festival a resounding success.

At this morning's Irish Examiner Breakfast of Champions at the Clayton Hotel Cork City, Examiner Sport columnists Ronan O'Gara, Donal Lenihan, Tommy Lyons and Ruby Walsh are tackling the hot topics in rugby and racing.

Ruby Walsh expects to return to action next month as he continues to recover from a broken leg.

It’s day two of the Leopardstown and Limerick festivals and much attention will be on Min, who contests the Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase at the Dublin track, writes Ruby Walsh

In 1999 Westlife were No. 1 at Christmas, Bobbyjo won the National, Meath were All-Ireland football champions, and I spent Christmas with my right leg in a cast, writes Ruby Walsh.

Ruby Walsh is confident of being fully fit from his broken leg in time to ride at the Cheltenham Festival.

Ruby Walsh is confident he will be fit to ride at the Cheltenham Festival in March.