David Walsh was born before his time.
Mainly because he is opinionated.
But opinionated only when it matters. "Maybe try such and such with this horse," he'd at times tell a trainer after a race.
Often old time trainers did not appreciate being told such things by a jockey. Horsemen of 60 to 70 years back viewed jockeys as second class citizens. A necessary evil in racing. Like children in those times, ridiculously, they were to be seen and not heard. Today jockeys worldwide are the rock stars of racing. Those without a strong opinion are scorned.
Those who know David Michael Walsh see him as a legendary figure. To many others slightly less, perhaps because he spent the best part of the last decade riding in the South Island and more recently signed up to ride in Mauritius for 12 months. He rode only one day and a health issue saw him return home.