David Michael Walsh was born in Ashburton 1959. His father Michael was a shearer and freezing worker. David was encouraged by his grandfather Mac McEwen to be a jockey. He started working for the Ashburton stable of trainer Jim Lalor at the age of 13 while still attending Ashburton College. His first ride was aboard the Lalor-trained Darnley Express in November, 1974 at Riccarton. Six weeks and five rides later he kicked home his first winner, the 24-to-one shot Three Sevens at a Washdyke meeting.

Wins for Walsh in the early days of his riding career were few and far between. It was four and a half months after that initial win that he rode his second winner and a further two and a half months before he rode a third. Walsh completed the three years of his apprenticeship with Lalor and came out of his time with 69 wins to his credit. A month after completing his apprenticeship he moved to Riccarton to ride on a freelance basis and soon began to clock up the winners. He was the leading South Island jockey in the 1978-79 season. Within another year Walsh was on the move again, this time to the North Island where he set up base at Palmerston North and became stable rider for Garth Ivil.

They teamed up for many important wins including the New Zealand 1000 Guineas with Orbit. Other Ivil-trained horses which Walsh rode to win on numerous occasions included Amyl, Mighty King, Epic, Save, Zazanne, Amrica and Wolf King. Another trainer Walsh formed a close affinity with at Palmerston North was Malcolm Smith.

In New Zealand his major race wins included the Railway Handicap (So Dandy 1983), Telegraph Handicap (Tanalyse 1986, Courier Bay 1987 and 1988), Waikato Draught Sprint (Tanalyse 1986, Courier Bay 1987 and 1988), New Zealand Oaks (Miltak, 1993), New Zealand Stakes (Solvit 1993 and 1994, Tall Poppy 2001), One Thousand Guineas (Orbit 1979, Merry Maiden 1991, Pace Invader 1998), Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (Pompeii Pearl 1988), Otaki Maori Weight-For-Age (Lord Tridan 1994), Thorndon Mile (Fun On The Run 1990, Tall Poppy 2001). Walsh also won the Cox Plate (Solvit) and Caulfield Cup (Mr Lomondy) in Australia.

Walsh won the New Zealand jockeys premiership in the 1983-84 season (113 wins) and also 1984-85 (138 wins).

Walsh's total of over 2500 victories in his four decade career includes races in Australia, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and Mauritius. He has the second highest total of New Zealand winners behind Chris Johnson. Walsh previously held the New Zealand record total having overtaken Lance O'Sullivan's total on 27 April 2014 when he rode Willy Duggan to win at Blenheim. There are only eight jockeys who have ridden 2000 New Zealand winners:

A career spanning over four decades is not just a considerable achievement, but a monumental one. The well respected former hoop held the New Zealand record for most riding wins for a number of years post his retirement, until the Magic Man Chris Johnson knocked him off late in 2020. The ability to persevere in a highly demanding and physically taxing profession, such as race riding, is a skill that Walsh honed throughout his extensive career. Now an apprentice mentor for young riders in the South Island, Walsh is putting his four decades at the top to good use, this time guiding the next generation of jockeys to a career they can too be proud of.

David Walsh had a riding career that lasted for 41 racing seasons, known as one of the foremost NZ hoops