Walsh impresses Scudamore

WHEN Peter Scudamore publicly sings your praises there is a great chance the jumping world will sit up and take plenty of notice. Ask David Walsh.

The Kildare born youngster was on the receiving end of the former champion's lavish commendation after more than earning his fee by pushing and shoving the head off a horse called Mahler to lift the spoils at Hereford shortly before Christmas.

"He's very, very good and he made all the difference there," said Scudamore of Walsh, who is, leading conditional rider this season with 19 wins under his belt and plenty more to come once the icy weather loosens its grip.

Walsh, 22, in a few days, is the youngest of five children and comes from Clane. And he's currently hot property in the conditional class with his retaining stable of Nigel Twiston Davies giving him plenty of chances and the formidable Martin Pipe also getting in on the act.

After cutting his teeth in the rough and ready world of pony racing in Wales, Walsh returned here for a spell with Kevin Prendergast but was soon back in Britain to take up a post with John Jenkins and then spent a couple of years at Ginger McCain's Southport yard.

He joined Twiston Davies two years ago and has not looked back. "My career has taken off since teaming up with Nigel and he and Scu have both been a great help to me. It's marvellous really because as a boy I modelled my riding on Scu as he was my hero," confided Walsh.

"My link with Mr Pipe started last season when I rode Riverside Boy in the Grand National and he's regularly used me since when he's needed a jockey in conditional races."

The Pipe factor could prove crucial in the coming months as the champion trainer has already provided him with eight victories and as the claimers' title goes to the wire the rides on the super fit Pipe inmates maybe vital.

Walsh's rise to prominence can be charted by the fact that last season he notched up 21 winners and at half time this term he's already only two short of that total. "If I stay injury free I think I've got a great chance of taking the conditional jockeys' title which will be great as it will kick start my, professional career next season, said Walsh.

He recently purchased a house in the picturesque Cotswold village of Northleach, a few miles from Twiston Davies' stable, and admitted he thoroughly enjoys a few holes of golf when not in the saddle.

"Racing's a bit like golf in away as near misses don't get you noticed but good putts are like riding winners, people take notice, and as you've got to be one step ahead to make it in all games," reckoned Walsh, whose biggest success to date was aboard Grange Brake in the 1995 Rehearsal Chase at Chepstow.

Despite steering home the winners Walsh admits there is currently one thing missing in his life. "I don't have a girlfriend at the moment but I'm always on the look out and I don't really mind what she looks like as I'm into all shapes and sizes!" he admitted.