No Bothar for Ruby as he lands Kerry National hat-trick

RUBY WALSH became the first jockey in history to ride the winner of the Guinness Kerry National three years in-a-row when guiding Bothar Na to a smooth success in the traditional feature of the Listowel Festival yesterday.

Walsh took the race twelve months ago on Euro Leader and the previous year on Banasan. The progressive seven-year-old now has another National firmly in his sights, the Aintree version, after producing a fine exhibition of jumping and staying power.

For trainer Willie Mullins it was a second Kerry National, to go with Euro Leader, and he admitted to being very pessimistic about his charge's prospects.