Tag Archive for: Oisin Murphy

Dream result for Byzantine followers in Foy

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Byzantine Dream strengthened Japan’s hand for the the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe with a convincing win in the hands of Oisin Murphy in the Qatar Prix Foy.

Japanese contenders are famously yet to conquer Europe’s richest middle-distance prize with Orfevre’s near miss in 2012 the closest the raiders from the Far East have come to getting their hands on the trophy at ParisLongchamp.

However, compatriot Alohi Alii has already stated his claims when blitzing the field in the Prix Guillaume d’Ornano last month, while Japanese Derby winner Croix Du Nord is also on course for the French capital on October 5.

Now Byzantine Dream can also add his name to the mix after being shortened to 12-1 for the Arc by Paddy Power, with Coral going even shorter at 8-1 after his dress rehearsal in Paris.

Second in the Tenno Sho when last seen, the Tomoyasu Sakaguchi-trained four-year-old was successfully ridden by Murphy when winning the Red Sea Turf in Saudi Arabia in February, and his proven stamina came to the fore here to finish strongly and edge out Andre Fabre’s Sosie.

Murphy told Sky Sports Racing: “He broke well but the one beside him stumbled and I actually clipped a heel for a stride, but he relaxed immediately and the pace wasn’t super fast and I was able to get on the back of Maxime Guyon (on Sosie).

“He doesn’t do an awful lot in front and in Saudi Arabia he ran around, so I just thought I would hopefully get there hands and heels and if he wasn’t winning today it would set him up perfectly for the big race (Arc).”

He went on: “I wasn’t concerned about dropping back in distance as I think he is a weak stayer over extended distances and has a very good turn of foot. He beat a high-class field today but he does want fast ground.

“He was a lot heavier today and you would notice the crest in his neck is much thicker. He obviously hasn’t run since May and he just did two kind of nice bits of work without anything being difficult in the build-up to this.

“He’s probably quite a light-framed horse who doesn’t need graft and I would hope he could be an even better horse come Arc weekend provided he gets his preferred conditions.”

Sakaguchi said: “The horse was in very good condition. The jockey rode a perfect race. It’s a beautiful victory. He still has room for improvement. He will be at the peak of his condition for the Arc.

“Today was just a prep race, and he still has something in hand. The question will be the ground, but the main goal is to have the horse ready for the Arc, and then we’ll see how the ground turns out on the day.”

Sosie ram a fine trial for the Arc
Sosie ram a fine trial for the Arc (Steven Paston/PA)

Pierre-Yves Bureau, racing manager for Wertheimer and Frère, owners of Sosie, said: “That was a very good return! He hadn’t run since early July, and the idea was to prepare him for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

“We were beaten by the horse we knew the least about, but against the other runners, he clearly showed his quality. If all goes well, we’ll be at the start of the Arc in four weeks’ time. We are satisfied.”

Ed Walker was pleased enough with the run of Almaqam back in third.

“That’s a very good performance, I’m very pleased with Almaqam,” he said.

“All week, I was worried about where to run him. I think we made exactly the right choice in coming here. He definitely stays the trip. We learned a lot today. Almaqam wasn’t beaten by much. I think he will be better on softer ground.

“He’s had a light campaign this year, and today’s race opens up more options for him going forward. Disappointed to be beaten, but very pleased nonetheless, I believe he’s a great horse.

“This is probably the best year to run in the Arc. William (Buick) told me: ‘If you’re going to take your chance, do it this year!’ As an option, we had the Champion Stakes, which will be a red-hot race. But I think he really enjoys the mile-and-a-half. So why not try? If the boss (Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum) agrees to take the chance, then I think we should go for it.”

Dubai Treasure strikes for Bin Suroor and Murphy

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Saeed bin Suroor and Oisin Murphy teamed up to win a Group One in Germany on Sunday and were on the mark again in the Goodwood finale on Tuesday with Dubai Treasure.

The lightly-raced filly was having her first run over six furlongs since August 2023, yet despite that the race looked over from some way out. Under The Twilight did close to within a neck, but the 85-40 favourite was value for much more.

Bin Suroor said: “She shows plenty of speed. I was going to run her at Doncaster in the seven-furlong Group Three, but when I talked to Oisin he said to keep her at six furlongs.

“She shows that speed in the mornings when she works. Now we’ll look for a nice race for her.

“She hasn’t run over six since she was two. She has the class for Group races.

“I think we’ll have to look for a nice race over six furlongs. She had a setback when she was in Dubai.”

Murphy was completing a double having earlier won on Andrew Balding’s Stellar Sunrise.

Westridge continued his progression with a wide-margin win in the Coral Chesterfield Cup Handicap.

Trained by John and Thady Gosden and ridden by Billy Loughnane, the four-year-old has been faring well in handicaps recently and started a 6-1 chance in a field of 18.

From stall eight he hit his stride quickly and after a prominent passage through the race he took up the lead in the final furlong, then pulling clear of the chasing pack to score by an eventual three and a quarter lengths.

“He enjoyed the space around him today and Billy gave him a lovely ride. It is not easy in a big handicap field but he broke well and made use of him,” said John Gosden.

“He is owned by Glen Manchester, my wife and Nicholas Wrigley, so it’s a proper partnership.

“We did have him in the July sales but wisely we chose to take him out three days before the sale, thank God we did that.

“He’s a grand horse and he’s done well, the handicapper will get him now but to win the Chesterfield Cup is a dream come true because Glen is very much Goodwood orientated.

“It’ll have to be York now though I’m not sure which race, Mr Wrigley will demand it. Rachel is just the silent partner, she does whatever they want!”

Ruth Carr’s Brazen Bolt made the long journey from Yorkshire to Sussex worthwhile with success in the Coral Golden Rewards Shaker Handicap, where he prevailed by a nose at 28-1 under Warren Fentiman.

Peter Furr, Doncaster-based winning owner-breeder, said: “He has been an unbelievable horse. We have bred a few horses but nothing like him. He went to Bahrain and won last year and when he came back he was not very well.

“He had ulcers, a bad tummy, stress, everything. Me and my daughter got him back and had him on a nebuliser. We took him to Ruth this season and she has been fantastic.

“We didn’t expect to win at York last time and we came here today thinking it would be really firm ground and when it wasn’t we didn’t expect this again. It doesn’t happen to people like us.”

Roger Varian’s Protest built on recent Listed efforts to make a winning handicap debut in the Ridgeview Fillies’ Handicap over a mile.

The Cheveley Park Stud owned and bred chestnut struck at 11-2, steered by Silvestre de Sousa to a one-length win.

Tornado goes down a storm in Munich

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Tornado Alert claimed German Group One glory for Saeed bin Suroor and Oisin Murphy with a clear-cut success in the Grosser Dallmayr-Preis in Munich.

Although without a victory in three previous starts this season, the Too Darn Hot colt had performed admirably in finishing fourth in the 2000 Guineas and sixth in the Derby, before chasing home subsequent Grand Prix de Paris runner-up Trinity College in the Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Having been sent across Europe in pursuit of top-level success, in a race Bin Suroor and Murphy won with Benbatl in 2018, Tornado Alert was never too far off the pace and quickened up smartly to lead halfway up the home straight.

Map Of Stars, bidding to provide his trainer Francis-Henri Graffard with a second Group One success in as many days following Calandagan’s triumph in the King George at Ascot on Saturday, came from further back to throw down his challenge under James Doyle in the Wathnan Racing silks. But try as he might he could not get on terms with Tornado Alert, who was ultimately well on top at the line.

Bin Suroor said: “He won well, the ground was heavy and he’s never run before on this ground, but he handled it well.

“I said to Oisin before the race ‘just keep him happy and give him a chance’, but he was travelling good all the way and when he came off the bridle he saw it out well.”

Tornado Alert holds big-race entries in the Juddmonte International at York and the Celebration Mile at Goodwood next month, but Bin Suroor is in no rush to firm up future plans, adding: “We’ll see how he comes back after the race and then we’ll make a decision.

“He’s a horse who is improving all the time. He ran well at Royal Ascot, his form is very good and he has improved every time he has run.

“Physically he looks better now than when he finished fourth in the Guineas, but with time and age that is what you would expect.

“He has plenty of speed, but I think a mile and a quarter is his best trip at the moment.”

Murphy speaks of ‘nightmare’ car crash and drink driving conviction

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Oisin Murphy has described his car crash and subsequent conviction for drink driving as “a nightmare for everyone involved”.

The four-times champion jockey was fined £70,000 and banned from driving for 20 months having pleaded guilty to one count of driving a motor vehicle while over the prescribed limit of alcohol after the accident in April.

Following the conclusion of those court proceedings, the British Horseracing Authority announced the immediate imposition of “an extremely strict set of conditions and monitoring requirements” on Murphy’s riding licence which “must be adhered to at all times”, although the exact details remain confidential.

Speaking at Windsor on Monday evening, Murphy told Sky Sports Racing: “It’s very important not to make that error again, it was a nightmare particularly for everyone involved, not just myself, for everyone else and the people who had to pick up the pieces, my support network. Time is a great healer but I won’t be forgetting about that mistake.

“They (the BHA) never disclose licence information, I’m not the first jockey to drink and drive or commit offences, it’s obviously more high profile because it’s me. Due to the profile I have, those incidents should never occur but the BHA have been fantastic to work with and I really appreciate what they have done to help me and I want to repay them.”

Murphy said the passenger who was involved in the crash “is really well, that’s the most important thing” and spoke about the counselling he had received both before and after the accident.

He added: “I have been (in counselling) for the last four years and obviously had very good spells due to that support network and I relied on it an awful lot since late April and before it but certainly since late April and I have got to thank those people because they have gone above and beyond when the process hasn’t been very easy.”

However, Murphy criticised the coverage his case had received, saying: “There was going to be a lot said in the media and it’s important not to allow the media to bully you too much because you can get very down, but I had horses to ride and a job to do. It’s great to be riding every day and hopefully to the same level I was able to do at Royal Ascot and in the weeks previously.

He added: “Not everyone wants one to achieve, there’s a lot of jealousy out there, particularly in the media, but I worked all my life to ride good horses and I’ll continue to do that. The only thing that can inhibit me from not progressing further in my career is myself, so that’s a realisation.”

Licensing conditions for Oisin Murphy to include enhanced testing on and off the racecourse

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Oisin Murphy will be subject to enhanced testing both on and off the racecourse as part of “stringent” conditions placed on his licence by the British Horseracing Authority following his drink-driving conviction.

The four-times champion jockey was fined £70,000 and banned from driving for 20 months having pleaded guilty to one count of driving a motor vehicle while over the prescribed limit of alcohol at Reading Magistrates’ Court last week.

Following the conclusion of those court proceedings, the BHA says it has been “liaising extensively with Mr Murphy and his team” which has resulted in the immediate imposition of “an extremely strict set of conditions and monitoring requirements” on his riding licence which “must be adhered to at all times”.

A BHA statement said: “The revised conditions have been designed to balance the need to maintain the safety, integrity and good reputation of British racing, with ensuring that Mr Murphy has access to the appropriate support and advice so that he meets the sport’s expectations.

“BHA licensing matters and the precise details of any conditions that may be placed on an individual’s licence are a private and confidential matter between that person and the regulator.

“However, we can confirm that Mr Murphy will be subject to stringent conditions, including detailed and strict procedures relating to further enhanced testing, both on and off the racecourse.

“Mr Murphy must also engage regularly and proactively with the BHA. In addition he must alert us, within a clearly stipulated timeframe, to any change in his personal circumstances that could reasonably be said to be relevant to his position as a licensed jockey.”

The BHA added both the conditions and Murphy’s compliance will be subject to “careful monitoring and regular review”, also warning it reserves “the right to seek the immediate suspension or withdrawal of Mr Murphy’s licence” if those conditions are not met.

The statement added: “As emphasised in our statement of last week, Mr Murphy’s conduct has fallen well below the standards expected of licensed individuals. His actions – for which he has since apologised – jeopardised not only his safety, but that of his passenger and other members of the public.

“Mr Murphy, like all licensed personnel, is expected to uphold the good reputation of our sport on and off the racecourse. He has been reminded of his responsibility. The conditions now in place are designed to help ensure that he meets the high standards that British racing demands.”

BHA: Oisin Murphy required to meet ‘incredibly strict conditions’ after drink-driving conviction

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The British Horseracing Authority says it is working to produce a set of “incredibly strict conditions” with Oisin Murphy following his conviction for drink-driving.

Murphy, 29, was fined £70,000 and banned from driving for 20 months having pleaded guilty to one count of driving a motor vehicle while over the prescribed limit of alcohol.

Murphy was able to ride while awaiting his hearing and then subsequently, and Brant Dunshea, acting chief executive of the BHA, addressed the issue on ITV Racing.

He said: “Matters around licensing are personal in nature and every individual has different challenges. When it comes to licensing we maintain a private relationship with individuals.

“There will be times when we have to deal with certain issues in a different way and not only to address issues that have emerged like in Oisin’s situation, but also to support individuals who might be dealing with a whole range of challenges.

“What has occurred, which has been reported and Oisin has spoken about that, is below the standard we would expect in terms of British racing.

“But, importantly, we make every effort to protect and enhance the safety of our jockeys and our horses. As a consequence between heavy engagement between Oisin and our team, we’re going through a process at the moment of agreeing a set of incredibly strict conditions and this will include enhanced testing both on the racecourse and away from the racecourse.

“To be very clear, the BHA weren’t given access to the information in relation to the criminal proceedings up until the full details were given in court. These matters are not in our jurisdiction so the information we were dealing with was limited.

“We’ve had face-to-face sessions with Oisin and we are working to come up with a set of conditions that not only ensures we’re protecting the integrity of British racing and the safety of our people, but also in a way that ensures Oisin gets the support and help he might need to deal with his issues.”

Andrew Balding pledges ongoing support for Oisin Murphy

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Andrew Balding has vowed to give Oisin Murphy “all the help and support” he can after the multiple champion jockey admitted driving a car while drunk and crashing into a tree earlier this year.

Murphy was fined £70,000 and banned from driving for 20 months after being sentenced at Reading Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, with the 29-year-old having pleaded guilty to one count of driving a motor vehicle while over the prescribed limit of alcohol.

He later issued a statement apologising for his actions, saying “there is no excuse for what I did”, while the British Horseracing Authority confirmed he is free to continue riding amid plans to place new conditions on his licence.

Balding, who has a long and successful association with Murphy, enjoyed a Friday treble at Sandown, from where he told Racing TV: “He’d made them (details of the case) known in advance, but obviously we were hoping that what we were hearing was accurate and that was the case.

“Obviously it’s not an ideal situation for him or for us or for anyone really, but I really hope that we can take this as a point to move forward and I know he’ll be working closely with the BHA and we’ll be giving him all the help and support we can to try to ensure nothing like this ever happens again.”

Murphy travelled to America to partner former Balding inmate New Century in the Belmont Derby at Saratoga on Friday night, but is scheduled to be back in action in Britain on Saturday for seven rides at Sandown, including Charlie Appleby’s 2000 Guineas winner Ruling Court in the Coral-Eclipse and three booked mounts for the Balding team.

When asked if he would continue to support Murphy, the trainer added: “Yes, of course. Everyone makes mistakes, but I think as long as there’s an intent to improve going forward, we’re all behind him.

“It’s for the regulator to put in what they want to see going forward and let them deal with it.

“We have (had a long, professional relationship with Murphy) and we expect higher standards than that. It was a very unfortunate incident and I hope that’s the end of it.”

Oisin Murphy admits ‘no excuse’ after pleading guilty to drink-driving offence

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Multiple champion jockey Oisin Murphy has said there was “no excuse” for his actions, having been fined £70,000 and banned from driving for 20 months after admitting driving a car while drunk and crashing into a tree earlier this year.

The 29-year-old was sentenced at Reading Magistrates’ Court on Thursday after he pleaded guilty to one count of driving a motor vehicle while over the prescribed limit of alcohol.

In a statement, Murphy said: “I would like to sincerely apologise for my actions. I know that drink driving is unacceptable and there is no excuse for what I did.

“I have let a lot of people down. I particularly want to apologise to my passenger and her family.

“I have so far been able to share only minimal details of my offence with the British Horseracing Authority as a result of the police investigation. I will now be fully co-operative with their enquiries.

“It would not be appropriate for me to comment further until that process is concluded.”

The British Horseracing Authority has confirmed Murphy is free to continue riding, although the governing body expressed “disappointment” in his conduct and plans to place new conditions on his licence.

A spokesperson said: “Everyone at the BHA, like all involved in our sport, is disappointed today having learned the details of the offence to which Oisin Murphy has pleaded guilty.

Oisin Murphy arrives at Reading Magistrates’ Court
Oisin Murphy arrives at Reading Magistrates’ Court (Jonathan Brady/PA)

“This is a very serious offence that, in the course of being committed, saw Mr Murphy jeopardise not only his own safety but that of his passenger and all other people travelling on the roads at the same time as him that night.

“His conduct fell a long way short of the standard we expect of all licensed individuals, in whom we place trust that they will represent our sport to the best of their abilities, upholding our collective reputation and ensuring racing is a safe place for all.

“In light of Mr Murphy’s guilty plea and the information revealed in court today, we will be working on the addition of new conditions on his licence that may be referred to the Licensing Committee for their consideration. As has been the case in recent weeks, Mr Murphy remains free to take up his riding engagements.

“We will issue an update on this process in due course and will be making no further comment at this time.”

Jockey Oisin Murphy leaving court
Jockey Oisin Murphy leaving court (Jonathan Brady/PA)

Murphy was charged by postal requisition on June 19 after he drove his grey Mercedes A Class off the road and into a tree in Hermitage, Berkshire, at about 12.05am on April 27.

The court heard that he and his passenger, who was the owner of the car, were both taken to hospital after the crash and that Murphy was later discharged to take a breathalyser test at a police station at about 7am, which showed a reading of 66mg per 100 millilitres of breath.

This meant he was “just shy of twice above the drink-driving limit” at the time of driving, prosecutor Richard Atkins told the court.

Sporting a dark blue suit, white shirt and tie, Murphy only spoke to confirm his name, date of birth, and address, before entering his guilty plea.

Judge Sam Goozee, sentencing, told Murphy: “You are lucky that neither you, your passenger, or the public were injured by your actions.

“I do balance that with the remorse you have shown for your actions. You have also recognised that you have let the public down by virtue of your actions, and your colleagues in the racing world.”

Oisin Murphy seen celebrating a winner at Royal Ascot last month
Oisin Murphy seen celebrating a winner at Royal Ascot last month (David Davies/PA)

In addition to his £70,000 fine, Murphy must pay a £2,000 surcharge and £85 in costs. The figures were calculated based on his annual earnings, which the court heard are in the region of £250,000 a year, in addition to a weekly salary of £1,250.

Murphy will also have to complete a drink-driving awareness course by August 13 2026, and will be able to reapply for a driving licence by November next year.

The four-times champion jockey is due to be in action at Saratoga on Friday night, where he is booked to partner New Century in the Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes, before jetting back from America in time to team up with 2000 Guineas winner Ruling Court in Saturday’s Coral-Eclipse at Sandown.

Oisin Murphy fined £70,000 and banned from driving for 20 months after admitting drink-driving

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Multiple champion jockey Oisin Murphy has been fined £70,000 and banned from driving for 20 months after admitting driving a car while drunk and crashing into a tree earlier this year.

The 29-year-old was sentenced at Reading Magistrates’ Court on Thursday after he pleaded guilty to one count of driving a motor vehicle while over the prescribed limit of alcohol.

He was charged by postal requisition on June 19 after he drove his grey Mercedes A Class off the road and into a tree in Hermitage, Berkshire, at about 12.05am on April 27.

He had a passenger with him at the time, who was the owner of the car, the court heard. They were both taken to hospital after the crash.

Murphy was later discharged to take a breathalyser test at a police station at about 7am, which showed a reading of 66mg per 100 millilitres of breath.

Oisin Murphy seen leaving court on Thursday
Oisin Murphy seen leaving court on Thursday (Jonathan Brady/PA)

This meant he was “just shy of twice above the drink-driving limit” at the time of driving, prosecutor Richard Atkins told the court.

Sporting a dark blue suit, white shirt and tie, Murphy only spoke to confirm his name, date of birth, and address, before entering his guilty plea.

Judge Sam Goozee, sentencing, told Murphy: “You are lucky that neither you, your passenger, or the public were injured by your actions.

“I do balance that with the remorse you have shown for your actions.

“You have also recognised that you have let the public down by virtue of your actions, and your colleagues in the racing world.”

Murphy’s defence barrister Alex Di Francesco offered the court an apology on behalf of his client.

Mr Di Francesco said: “He wants to apologise, first to his passenger, to the public and other road users… and he wants to apologise to those whom he works alongside.”

Oisin Murphy rode five winners at Royal Ascot last month
Oisin Murphy rode five winners at Royal Ascot last month (David Davies/PA)

The day he was officially charged was the Thursday of Royal Ascot week, when he rode a double courtesy of Arabian Story and Never So Brave. He ended the showpiece meeting with five winners in total.

Murphy is due to be in action at Saratoga on Friday night, where he is booked to partner New Century in the Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes, before jetting back from America in time to team up with 2000 Guineas winner Ruling Court in Saturday’s Coral-Eclipse at Sandown.

In addition to his fine, Murphy must pay a £2,000 surcharge and £85 in costs. The figures were calculated based on his annual earnings, which the court heard are in the region of £250,000 a year, in addition to a weekly salary of £1,250.

Murphy will also have to complete a drink-driving awareness course by August 13 2026, and will be able to reapply for a driving licence by November next year.

The British Horseracing Authority confirmed Murphy is free to continue riding, although the governing body expressed “disappointment” in his conduct and plans to place new conditions on his licence.

A spokesperson said: “Everyone at the BHA, like all involved in our sport, is disappointed today having learned the details of the offence to which Oisin Murphy has pleaded guilty.

“This is a very serious offence that, in the course of being committed, saw Mr Murphy jeopardise not only his own safety but that of his passenger and all other people travelling on the roads at the same time as him that night.

“His conduct fell a long way short of the standard we expect of all licensed individuals, in whom we place trust that they will represent our sport to the best of their abilities, upholding our collective reputation and ensuring racing is a safe place for all.

“In light of Mr Murphy’s guilty plea and the information revealed in court today, we will be working on the addition of new conditions on his licence that may be referred to the Licensing Committee for their consideration. As has been the case in recent weeks, Mr Murphy remains free to take up his riding engagements.

“We will issue an update on this process in due course and will be making no further comment at this time.”

Oisin Murphy pleads guilty to drink driving offence

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Multiple champion jockey Oisin Murphy has been fined £70,000 after admitting drink driving after he crashed his car into a tree earlier this year.

The 29-year-old appeared at Reading Magistrates’ Court on Thursday afternoon where he pleaded guilty to one count of driving a motor vehicle while over the prescribed limit of alcohol.

He was not asked to plead on another count of failing to cooperate with a preliminary test at the roadside.

The four-times champion was charged by postal requisition on June 19 after he drove his grey Mercedes A Class off the road and into a tree in Hermitage, Berkshire, at about 12.05am on April 27.

He was officially charged on the Thursday of Royal Ascot week, when he rode a double courtesy of Arabian Story and Never So Brave. He ended the showpiece meeting with five winners in total.

Oisin Murphy to continue riding ahead of court appearance

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Oisin Murphy was among the winners at Doncaster on Friday, with the British Horseracing Authority confirming the multiple champion jockey can continue to ride ahead of his court date next week.

Thames Valley Police said in a statement on Thursday that the 29-year-old had been charged in connection with a road traffic accident in Berkshire in April. It is alleged he was over the prescribed alcohol limit and failed to cooperate when asked to give a preliminary test at the scene.

On Friday the BHA said there was nothing to prevent Murphy continuing to ride on an ongoing basis and he travelled to Doncaster for five mounts, winning the Doncaster Racecourse Supporting Racing Staff Week Handicap aboard the Andrew Balding-trained 8-13 favourite Displaying.

The four-time champion is due to be in action at York on Saturday where his six booked mounts include Formal in the Group Three Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Criterion Stakes.

Murphy – who rode five winners at Royal Ascot last week – is due to appear at Reading Magistrates’ Court on July 3. He was charged last Thursday, when he rode at double at the showpiece meeting through Arabian Story and Never So Brave.

Champion jockey Oisin Murphy charged in relation to road traffic accident

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Multiple champion jockey Oisin Murphy has been charged in connection with a road traffic accident in Berkshire in April and will appear in court next week.

It is alleged Murphy, 29, was over the prescribed alcohol limit and failed to cooperate when asked to give a preliminary test at the scene.

Murphy – who rode five winners at Royal Ascot last week – is due to appear at Reading Magistrates’ Court on July 3. He was charged last Thursday, when he rode at double at the showpiece meeting through Arabian Story and Never So Brave.

Oisin Murphy in winning action aboard Never So Brave at Royal Ascot last week
Oisin Murphy in winning action aboard Never So Brave at Royal Ascot last week (John Walton/PA)

A statement on the Thames Valley Police website read: “A man has been charged in connection with an ongoing investigation into a serious road traffic collision in Hermitage, West Berkshire.

“Last Thursday (19/6) Oisin Murphy, aged 29 of Beales Farm Road, Lambourn, Hungerford, was charged by postal requisition with one count of driving a motor vehicle while over the prescribed limit of alcohol and one count of failing to cooperate with a preliminary test at the roadside.

“The charge is in connection with a single vehicle road traffic collision around 12.05am on Sunday 27 April this year when a grey Mercedes A Class left the road and crashed into a tree.”

It added: “It is vital that people do not speculate or spread misinformation on social media as this is a live investigation.”

The British Horseracing Authority issued the following statement: “The BHA is aware of an update issued by Thames Valley Police this afternoon regarding Mr Oisin Murphy.

“We are now seeking to gather as much information as possible in order to consider what, if any, implications there are as a result of this development.”

Initial attempts to contact Murphy and his representatives for comment were unsuccessful.

Monday Musings: Chinese Takeaway

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So Oisin Murphy didn’t stay home this autumn/early winter for a full English, but instead filled his boots with the ultimate Chinese takeaway, writes Tony Stafford. Oisin didn’t follow my suggestion he might challenge for the 26-times champion Sir Gordon Richards’ best of 269 in a single year, and stands marooned on 215 in the year of his fourth championship. Put another way, Oisin, you have only 23 titles more to go!

I’m sure he and his agent will be content with the £150k or so he picked up in Hong Kong yesterday, courtesy of a win on Giavellotto and fourth on The Foxes in his two rides on the richly-endowed Longines-sponsored card at Sha Tin racecourse. I expect it took Sir Gordon a fair few of his 4,870 winners to match Oisin’s haul over the 2min 27.53 secs of the Vase.

The Marco Botti-trained Giavellotto picked up £1.3 million and change for winning the Vase over a mile and a half. He had the William Haggas world traveller Dubai Honour two and a half lengths behind in second under Tom Marquand with Luxembourg, second to the Hong Kong supreme champ Romantic Warrior in the ten-furlong Cup last year, only fifth for Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore.

Giavellotto can lay claim to being one of the most publicly underrated and indeed under-noticed of performers, if not by the handicappers who have him on 119. This year, he won the Yorkshire Cup over 1m6f at York in May and the Princess Of Wales’s Stakes over yesterday’s trip at Newmarket in July. He warmed up for his trip to the Far East with a third over 1m6f, three lengths behind the peerless Kyprios in the Irish St Leger in September.

As an entire he could presumably have been trained for the King George at Ascot in July and/or the Arc early in October – that’s already nine weeks ago! – and maybe next year his realistic trainer might give those races a whirl.

Italian-born Botti quietly goes about his business in Newmarket from where his 93 horses to run picked up 49 wins, 87 places and earnings of £921,714. Yesterday’s victory easily more than doubled that sum on its own.

The big day for Hong Kong racing also provides a showcase for its own champions and the afore-mentioned Romantic Warrior made it 17 wins worth almost £18 million in 22 career starts following a third successive victory in the Cup race with its £2.25 million to the winner prize.

Andrew Balding was rewarded for his enterprise in sending The Foxes to Hong Kong, the four-year-old finishing just under five lengths back in a lavish (£240k) fourth place under Murphy. The Foxes had beaten Dubai Honour when they met in Newcastle’s Churchill Stakes, appropriately so as he’s a colt by Churchill.

Romantic Warrior was almost unbackable but, to the Sha Tin and World Pool adherents, also just about unbeatable at 10/1 on and won as he and his rider liked, the identical price as Sprint winner Ya King Rising, that one less far down the road but getting there. He stands with nine wins from 11 starts. Ya King Rising won a shade cosily under Zac Purton, one of the regular top Australians that have made Hong Kong their own along with that race’s runner-up Hugh Bowman.

But it’s the New Zealand-born James McDonald who really has the game sorted. One of the leading riders in Australia for many years, he manages to organise his trips to Hong Kong to coincide with Romantic Warrior’s runs and has been on him for his past eight races, the last seven wins in a row starting with the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley in October last year.

They also won a Group 1 race together in Tokyo on June 2 this year, one of only four 2024 runs before yesterday. The son of Acclamation was sold as a yearling at Newmarket by his breeders Corduff Stud, fetching 300,000 Guineas to the bid of the Hong Kong Jockey Club. Peter Lau Pak Fai, his owner, will be eternally grateful that it was his number that came up when the annual ballot for owners and horses was enacted.

James McDonald also picked up the winning rider’s share of a second £2 million to the winner race on the 8/5 favourite Voyage Bubble in the Mile. Bizarrely, he was in the television booth when last month’s Melbourne Cup was being run, having no ride in the race, after which he set straight off for his regular Hong Kong stint. Even when he won the Melbourne Cup three years ago on the mare Verry Elleegant, his pickup from the £2,584 million first prize would not have matched yesterday’s combined bounty.

Saturday’s racing at home was massively affected by the latest hurricane to trouble our shores, ending hopes of Aintree staging the Becher Chase over the Grand National obstacles, in which Kim Bailey was denied a run for his smart emerging talent Chianti Classico.  Kim woke up on Saturday morning with two fancied runners each at Aintree and Chepstow and instead none got a run. Usually in the winter, when potential winning opportunities are withheld in this way, they only rarely get a suitable race to make up for it.

Jumps trainers must be getting so frustrated. The wet summer when the big horses weren’t generally in action proved difficult for the fast-ground regulars. Then as the early autumn became very dry, many trainers waiting for a first run for their good horses were understandably worried about sending them into action on quick ground.

Then came another very wet spell, with meetings lost and good-ground high-class horses also being put at a disadvantage.

Sandown survived on Saturday but surely it’s a reflection on these problems that the Grade 1 Henry VIII Novice Chase at Sandown attracted a final field of four. These were the Dan Skelton-trained favourite L’Eau du Sud; two from Gordon Elliott, Touch Me Not and Down Memory Lane; and just one more from the UK, the Kieran Burke-trained Soul Icon, the 16/1 outsider.

L’Eau du Sud didn’t have as much to spare as when winning on comeback and chase debut by 11 lengths at Cheltenham, but this race has always been a decent guide to the Arkle Novice Chase at Cheltenham. He will be going there certainly as one of the best of the home team.

The money on offer for that race was 56k, 20k, 10k with more than five grand for the horse that brought up the rear. You wonder sometimes how owners that moan about prize money as I feel they are entitled to most of the time, explain a case like this when so few found their way to such a historic novice race. All the novice chasers in the UK cannot be rubbish, or can they?

An hour later it was the Grade 1 Tingle Creek Chase and Jonbon won this for the second year in succession for the McManus/Henderson/de Boinville team.

The Tingle Creek was worth almost twice as much as the Henry VIII, Jonbon picking up a few quid short of £100,000 for his eight-length defeat of Irish raider Quilixios. Two of the three remaining UK runners fell, including Edwardstone, so again each of those that did get round got a handy prize, around 40k, 20k with 10 grand for fourth.

It’s hard to believe with the recent flat season still so fresh in the memory that when my article appears in two weeks’ time, the days will be getting longer again. Some people are counting down to Christmas, but there may be many that will be sensing Cheltenham 2025 coming over the horizon. Three months? It’ll go in a flash!

- TS

 

Monday Musings: The Jugglers

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The second Saturday in September illustrated how trainers and jockeys’ agents need to be expert jugglers at this time of year, writes Tony Stafford. We had the Irish Champion Stakes, worth a total €£1.15 million (€712k to the winner) and the Betfred St Leger, £830k and £421k to the winner, yet three UK champion jockeys were riding more than 3,000 miles away from either venue.

The trio - Oisin Murphy, William Buick and Frankie Dettori - all lined up in the Grade 1 Natalma Stakes for 2yo fillies over a mile and worth £177k at the Woodbine racetrack in Toronto, Canada. Buick was on the 4/5 favourite for Godolphin and Charlie Appleby, the dual early-season winner Mountain Breeze, but she could only manage eighth place.

Ahead of her were Murphy, fifth on 65/1 shot Ready To Battle, for dominant local trainer Mark Casse despite being the outsider of his trio; and Dettori was one place behind on the Christophe Clement filly Annascaul, the race second favourite.

He was the only one of our itinerant trio to have a ride in the next Graded race, the Ontario Matron (G3) on the Tapeta track. He finished fourth for Casse who again had three runners without securing the win.

Only five turned up for the E P Taylor Stakes for fillies and mares, run on the turf track. In the past the E P Taylor was a frequent target for UK and especially French runners. It honours the Canadian breeder Eddie Taylor. He stood Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Northern Dancer, the stallion who first tickled the fancy of Vincent O’Brien and led, with Robert Sangster and John Magnier’s help, to the legacy of Sadler’s Wells and, through him, to his even more influential son Galileo.

This year, the E P Taylor was a tame affair considering there was £266k for the winner. Oisin got a ride here but could do no better than fourth of five on Blush for French-based trainer Carlos Laffon-Parias. All three of the visiting riders had been previous winners of the race.

Charlie Appleby and Andrew Balding staged a rematch from a Listed race on King George Day at Ascot in July, with Al Qudra, the winner of that race for Charlie and Will, going into the bet365 <they get in everywhere!> Summer Plate over a mile on the turf as favourite, having beaten New Century by just over two lengths then.

Here Oisin turned the form around on identical terms, winning by one and a quarter lengths from Al Qudra in another Grade 1 again worth £177k, as with the juvenile fillies earlier. The share of the spoils made Oisin’s awayday worthwhile and even in defeat Buick got his mitts on a portion of the 60 grand for second.

The principal reason for the Appleby/Godolphin attack was presumably the featured Rogers Woodbine Mile, with a hefty £355,000 to the winner. The Buick mount, Naval Power, was the 11/20 favourite but finished only fourth to a couple of Mark Casse runners, siphoning up between them a good deal more than half a million Canadian bucks. Naval Power had been a very close second on his previous start when Dettori had the mount in a valuable supporting race on Kentucky Derby Day at Churchill Downs in early May.

If you feel sorry for Frankie, the pensioner (in jockey terms) started out the previous weekend looking forward to a hatful of Aidan O’Brien mounts at Kentucky Downs, but only Greenfinch, who finished fourth, ran, the others being withdrawn. But then, a week yesterday at the same track, May Day Ready won a £483k first prize and that was supplemented by a double at the same track on Wednesday. Dettori won the £238k Gold Cup with Limited Liability and then the Dueling Grounds Oaks Invitational with Kathymarissa and another £720k.

His win prizes amounted to £1,323,000 over the week. No wonder he loves being in the US!

What did they miss while waiting for Saturday in Canada? At Doncaster there was an eighth St Leger win for Aidan O’Brien as the inexperienced and in some ways still green Jan Bruegel edged out Illinois in a thrilling tussle up the Doncaster straight. Both colts are by Galileo and at the final opportunity, his sons dominated yet another English Classic.

Impossible to separate in the market, it looked like a potential dead-heat in the race until Sean Levey, who started out life as an O’Brien apprentice before relocating to the UK, forced his mount’s head in front close to the line.

Behind in third and fourth, also locked together, were Deira Mile and Sunway who crossed the line only a nose apart. I thought it a mealy-mouthed decision by the stewards to turn the form around, denying Deira Mile’s ever-adventurous Ahmed Al Sheikh of Green Team Racing another placed run in the English Classics of which he is so enamoured.

Bay City Roller was a good winner of the Champagne Stakes that opened the card, but it might have been a different story had not Chancellor prematurely burst out of the gate. The Gosden colt, a smart scorer at the track last time, was third at Ascot in the race where Al Qudra beat New Century.

The raft of unlikely horse/trainer/jockey partnerships on this unusual day continued in the Portland Handicap, one of my favourite races with its intermediate sprint distance of around five and a half furlongs.

Here, the unluckiest horse in training, Peter Charalambous’s Apollo One, got the services of no less a partner than Christophe Soumillon. The Belgian, a multiple champion jockey in France, had just got his mount’s brave head in front of a gaggle of horses on the far side when the favourite American Affair flew down under the stands rail under Paul Mulrennan to beat him by a nose.

It was a notable win for Jim Goldie and, given the way he finished on Saturday, the Ayr Gold Cup in five days’ time must have its appeal. Peter Charalambous is adamant he would never ask Apollo One to run in the likely soft ground at Ayr, but it would be nice to think he would win a big sprint handicap before too long.

Over the past two seasons he has finished second in four big sprints, the Wokingham and Stewards’ Cup last year and the Stewards’ Cup and Portland in 2024. His total losing distance is barely two and a half lengths in those races.

Irish Champions Weekend featured a fine return to form by the slightly unpredictable but undeniably ultra-talented Auguste Rodin. He ran a great race in the Irish Champion Stakes but just failed to cope with the tenacious favourite Economics.

It had been a brave decision by William Haggas to resist running his colt in the Derby after his sensational <I use the word advisedly> Dante Stakes romp at York and, nicely rested, Haggas had given him an ideal warm-up run at Deauville last month for his main target here.

Economics came from some way back, as did Auguste Rodin. Tom Marquand sent his mount into the lead halfway up the short Leopardstown straight, when it appeared that Ryan Moore on the dual Derby winner was going marginally the easier, even getting his head in front in the last hundred yards. Economics, to his credit, pulled out extra and, despite battling all the way to the line, Auguste Rodin had to be content with an honourable second place.

The path for both horses is set in stone. Economics will now go to the Qipco Champion Stakes for what will be only his sixth career start. Auguste Rodin has the Breeders’ Cup Turf, which he won last year, as his autumn objective.

Just behind in third and fourth were the Japanese horse Shin Emperor, who should make a bold attempt at being the first from Japan to win the Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe, and fast-finishing Los Angeles, who probably would have fully extended his two stablemates at Doncaster.

His range of entries, from the Champion Stakes (ten furlongs) at Ascot to the British Champion Long Distance Cup (two miles) the same day and, a fortnight earlier, the Arc over one mile and a half reflect his untapped potential and versatility. I’d go the stayers’ route if he were mine – wishful thinking in the extreme!

Yesterday, Messrs Buick and Murphy made it back to the Curragh for the second day of the Irish Champions Weekend. They might not have won as they rode respectively Vauban and Giavellotto into second and third in the Irish St Leger, but at least they got a close-up view of the remarkable Kyprios.

Aidan O'Brien's six-year-old entire was taking his earnings past £2 million with an authoritative performance under Ryan Moore. It was Kyprios' 13th win in 17 career starts. After last year's injury problems and a curtailed season of only two second places, he has now repeated the same first five victories of his unbeaten four-year-old campaign and in the same  races.

That year (2022) he ended the season with victory in the Prix Du Cadran over two and a half miles - by twenty lengths! If he goes there and wins in three weeks it would be a double unbeaten six-timer, four of them at Group 1 level, surely a record, and one that will be exceptionally difficult to match in the future. He deserves to be regarded as at least the equal of Yeats as a stayer. Many will think him superior.

- TS

Monday Musings: Chasing Records

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I chased after the young man at York, definitely arousing his interest, but with no definitive response, writes Tony Stafford. Yesterday morning, on a 22-minute call to his agent in Cambodia, I think I’d got a fair way along the road, but again, no reply from Gavin Horne.

It’s all so different now. Could you imagine 25 years ago being able to live 6,221 miles away and six time zones ahead of the UK and still sort the rides with such certainty for the now guaranteed four times champion Oisin Murphy? “He’s been with me for ten years and is the only jockey on my books, but it’s still a tough existence,” he says.

“I owe a lot to WhatsApp”, says Gavin, “I have everything ready for the trainers when they get to their offices at 6 a.m.” So far, the formula has brought a career-best 22% wins of his mounts, with 168 victories, 52 short of his best of 220 in 2019.

Four championships will be something to be proud of, but a shade insignificant in numerical terms compared with the 11 each by Lester Piggott and Pat Eddery. But one name – in flat racing terms anyway – stands above all others: Sir Gordon Richards, 26 titles and a peak of 269 in 1947.

It took the force of nature that was Tony McCoy to exceed the single-season tally with 289 jumps wins in 2002/3, one of 20 consecutive titles the dominant jumps rider amassed.

Returning to my first point. My initial question to Oisin was to ask whether he was likely to be away for large parts of the winter. He said not, so the prospect of lucrative stints in either Hong Kong or Japan was unlikely. Gavin Horne confirmed that supposition.

So we sit, with barely seven weeks of the Flat Race Jockeys’ Championship remaining to divvy up the honours and, after Champions Day at Ascot, that’s it.

What I was trying to emphasise to young Mr Murphy was that at the present rate of progress he would comfortably exceed the necessary 102 wins to beat Sir Gordon’s 77-year record and have a fighting chance to topple the McCoy tally.

This was the idea I floated, seemingly getting a positive response. The idea first came to mind based on the recent example of the 2023/4 jockeys’ championship in South Africa when Richard Fourie beat the existing record by more than 40 victories.

Turf Talk, my weekday daily read of all things South African racing, latched on to the Fourie phenomenon early, and issued a daily Barometer, as they called it, of his likely finishing figure.

It brought tremendous interest over there, unsurprisingly as he ended on 378 wins, despite putting the handbrake on with some more leisurely weeks as the conclusion came nearer.

My contention to Murphy and Horne was that the last weeks of the UK season on the flat, solely all-weather for seven weeks after the conclusion of the final meeting at Doncaster, needs a little enlivening.

Jump racing is of course the main diet of those times, but if we got a severely cold or excessively wet period, all-weather steps forward into the role for which it was first intended more than three decades ago (October 1985, when Conrad Allen won the first race and is still going strong!)

Other major jockeys will be elsewhere, but with their massive strings, Andrew Balding, Murphy’s boss, and many others have to keep going with their later developing juveniles and horses that need to get a win on the board, something that can be easier as the season draws on.

Gavin described Oisin’s last few days as “like a snowball going downhill and getting bigger and accelerating all the time.”

On one of our brief encounters at York, I asked if he’d given it any thought. “I need a winner here first,” he said. Naturally, he won the next race and four in all, one a day at the meeting.

Since then, though, it has indeed been the accelerating snowball. He rode two winners each day at Goodwood on Sunday, Epsom on Monday, Lingfield on Tuesday, Kempton on Wednesday and Sandown on Friday, topping it up with three at the Esher track on Saturday. Eleven different trainers contributed to the tally.

I’m pretty sure that if he did declare that he would be going all out, the rides would come in exponentially, requiring Mr Horne’s knowledge of the form book to sort the multiple chances in various races.

That 17-winner spell from York to Sandown came in 11 days. To beat Richards, he needs 25 wins a month and a couple more. To beat McCoy it’s another five a month, so virtually a winner a day in all. But I’m sure trainers would be falling over themselves to get his services, knowing that it would guarantee a committed ride by one of the best three jockeys in the weighing room.

Referring to this year’s action, Gavin said that Oisin had hardly over-exerted himself in collecting 46 wins up to early May when the championship took over; “He was pretty much messing around in the US,” he says. “If he’d have been at full throttle from January 1, he could have had a lot more winners by now,” he added.

Naturally, there would need to be an incentive and I’m pretty sure that one of the big bookmaking firms might like to get involved. The Oisin Betfred Barometer has a ring to it and I know from a quiet word with Ed Chamberlin that ITV would certainly like the extra excitement. With AP a regular on ITV for the jumping season, it would be interesting to see if his score was exceeded, whether he would be as gracious as Alastair Cook was when Joe Root beat his record number of Test match centuries at Lord’s on Saturday.

In the final analysis though, Murphy might not fancy the cold, winter days, up early to drive (or be driven) across to the all-weather tracks that are within comfortable reach of his base in Lambourn. You wouldn’t blame him if he didn’t fancy it, but how I’d love to see someone beat a great racing historical record that Piggott, Eddery, Dettori, not to forget Jason Weaver, never managed. And, of course, for Oisin to make his own little piece of history.

**

Talking of champion jockeys and agents, I was at a party yesterday hosted by Graham Smith-Bernal at his Newsells Park Stud in Hertfordshire. I sat at the same table as Tony Hind, agent to Ryan Moore, William Buick and many others. Tony is the flat-race equivalent of Dave Roberts, who looked after McCoy for all his career, but so many other top-notchers.

‘Bony Tony’, as he loves to be called, and his wife, along with friend Charlie Pigram and his better half, were all fully in step with the Tottenham Hotspur vibe, (as an Arsenal fan I wasn’t too upset when yesterday’s result came through), with former player Davd Howells also on our table.

Across the way were Ossie Ardiles, Steve Perryman (Bony’s idol whom he had never met before) and John Pratt, who played cricket with me at Lord’s I think in 1964. Hard to believe it was so long ago.

Buick was on family duty, often happily carrying his younger child outside the tent on a rare free day in the summer. To think I knew William, introduced by dad Walter in the press box at Newbury racecourse, when he was ten years old.

The party was arranged to thank members of various syndicates. The one involving Charlie and Bony includes Smith-Bernal, who retains 25%, and the Stud name includes club legends Ardiles, Brazil (Alan) and Hoddle (Glenn). The boys all made a £30k investment in several horses in which they have a share and Miss Fascinator, a daughter of Mehmas trained by Roger Varian, is likely to bring a big return.

Already a winner at Ascot and Newmarket, the two-year-old, bought for Newsells by Jamie Piggott for 72,000 Guineas, is rated an official 95 and, if she went to the sales, would probably be worth at least four times the purchase price.

Incidentally, Jamie Piggott was at the table alongside older sister Maureen Haggas and husband William who reported the “promising” Economics <as he called him> will be taking on the cream (minus City of Troy) of Aidan O’Brien in the Irish Champion Stakes next weekend.

His last run, when he got to and drew away from Brian Meehan’s smart colt Jayarebe at Deauville recently, got a big boost from the other side of the Atlantic this weekend. Jayarebe had won the Group 3 Hampton Court Stakes at Ascot before taking on Economics in France.

The third home at Ascot was Andrew Balding’s Bellum Justum, ridden by Murphy, and he went on to be a closing second to Jan Breughel in the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood.

Balding might have a massive string nowadays, but he is certainly aware of opportunities around the globe. On Saturday at Kentucky Downs, Bellum Justum went for the DK Horse Nashville Derby Invitational and won easily under Frankie Dettori. The prize? £830k to the winner! Nice to see Frankie’s still earning a crust!

- TS