RUBY Walsh was left to wonder what might have been after superstar mare Quevega retired following her defeat at Punchestown on Thursday. For the first time since 2009, the Willie Mullinstrained 10-year-old failed to come home in front in the Ladbrokes World Series Hurdle.
Notoriously fragile, the last time she ran anywhere other than at the Cheltenham or Punchestown Festivals was when she could finish only ninth at Auteuil as a five-year-old in the Prix La Barka.
At the time she had only won what is now the OLBG Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham once, but she went on to break Golden Miller's record of five successive Cheltenham Festival wins in March this year when making it six on the bounce in the same race.
Reflecting on her final race, Walsh said: "Obviously it was disappointing, more so with myself than anything else.
"She just got in under the second-last and instead of being three lengths behind Jetson and Davy Russell I ended up seven lengths behind him. He kicked away from the second-last and I never got him back.
"We didn't get the rub of the green and I wouldn't mind another go at it, but when you finish second you always feel that.
"I was unlucky, he got the fractions right and I made a mistake at the one hurdle I didn't need to make one."
Paying his tribute to Quevega and how she was handled by Mullins, Walsh went on: "She's been a brilliant mare for the yard. For a horse to win six times at the Cheltenham Festival is amazing. She's been a fair ace to have in your pack."