Irish jumps jockey, Rudy Walsh, will be stepping out of an Irish summer into a Ballarat winter within a few days.

Walsh was summoned to ride Bashboy, in the Grand National Steeplechase, after regular rider, Steve Pateman, failed on appeal to have one day shaved off a suspention.

Walsh is the current champion jumps rider in Ireland, he is quite excited about the opportunity, besides riding Bashboy for Ciaron Maher, he also has the mount on Archfire for Robert Smerdon, in the J J Houlahan Memorial Hurdle.