Horse racing-Walsh celebrates 50th career Cheltenham win

March 17 (Reuters) - Ruby Walsh celebrated his 50th career Cheltenham Festival win on Thursday with 4-1 co-favourite Black Hercules taking the JLT Novices Chase. It was the fifth success of this week's meeting for the jockey and Irish trainer Willie Mullins, whose St. Patrick's Day only got better when Walsh won the Ryanair Chase on even-money favourite Vautour. Walsh then completed a Thursday treble, and seventh win of the week, by romping home in the Mares Novices' Hurdle on 8-11 favourite Limini. "It's amazing. When I joined Pat Taaffe here on 25 I thought that was unbelievable, but 50 is incredible," Walsh told BBC radio. "I've been lucky round here. I'm in the privileged position to ride for Willie Mullins now and Paul Nicholls in the past and without people like that behind you, you wouldn't get anywhere near that number. "I'm the lucky guy who gets to steer the ship." The Novices Chase had a farcical start when Zabana unseated jockey Davy Russell after colliding with Outlander, who fell half way through the race. Thistlecrack, ridden by Tom Scudamore, romped home in the World Hurdle to win by seven lengths from Alpha Des Obeaux with Bobs Worth finishing third. (Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Pritha Sarkar)