Tag Archive for: Oisin Murphy

Oisin Murphy returns to action at Chelmsford on Thursday

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Oisin Murphy returns to the saddle with one ride at Chelmsford on Thursday, following his 14-month ban for alcohol and Covid breaches.

Murphy, a three-time champion jockey, will partner the Mick Appleby-trained Jupiter Express in the second race on the card, the Winning Connections Networking Handicap.

The British Horseracing Authority announced last week that Murphy will undergo increased alcohol and drug testing after he was found to have failed two breathalyser tests.

He has not ridden since November 2021, and in February at the conclusion of a lengthy hearing, at which it was revealed he also breached Covid rules by lying about his whereabouts in September 2020, he was told he could not reapply for his licence until February 16 this year.

Oisin Murphy (right) took part in a parade of jockeys who had ridden for the Queen on Derby day last year
Oisin Murphy (right) took part in a parade of jockeys who had ridden for the Queen on Derby day last year (Tim Goode/PA)

Jupiter Express is owned by The Horse Watchers syndicate, which is partly run by jockeys’ agent and broadcaster Chris Dixon, although Gavin Horne will continue to look after Murphy as before.

“Gavin had asked Mick if there was anything he could ride when he was available,” said Dixon.

“Tom Marquand rode Jupiter Express to be second last time, but he’s in Australia now so the jockey who rode him last time wasn’t there and this was an opportunity for him to have a ride when he came back.

“Mick was always going to support him, he’s ridden plenty of winners for him over the years – and us – so when a top jockey is available we are not afraid to use them. We’re happy to give him his first ride back.

“He’s got a decent chance. He’s been freshened up since his last run as he’d been a little busy and we’d aimed at this card ever since really.

“He’s got a decent chance, he’s in good form and hopefully there’s a little bit of mileage in his handicap mark.”

Murphy is due in Qatar at the weekend to ride Flaming Rib for Hugo Palmer with trips to Dubai, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain also pencilled in over the next few weeks.

Coral make Murphy their 15-8 second-favourite for a fourth championship behind last year’s winner William Buick, who is their 1-2 favourite.

Oisin Murphy poised for high-profile Saudi Cup card return

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Oisin Murphy has a ride to relish upon his return to the saddle as he is due to partner Missed The Cut in the Neom Turf Cup.

The jockey is approaching the end of a 14-month suspension imposed by the British Horseracing Authority after he admitted to breaking Covid rules, misleading the regulator and prejudicial conduct, plus two alcohol breaches.

Murphy’s ban expires on February 16 and he has been forging a new connection with Newmarket trainer George Boughey, whose colt Missed The Cut holds an entry for the Group Three Neom Turf Cup at Riyadh on February 25.

The race is part of the hugely valuable Saudi Cup meeting and it is Murphy who will take the ride as Boughey seeks a regular jockey for the horse throughout the upcoming season.

“Oisin Murphy currently will ride him. It’s taken quite a lot of brainpower throughout his career so far, he’s had a number of jockeys and I think a horse like him probably deserves to have a jockey that’s going to try and ride him wherever possible,” he said.

Missed The Cut at Royal Ascot
Missed The Cut at Royal Ascot (Adam Davy/PA)

“I had a long chat to Oisin at the back end of last year when we were trying to make a plan for him. William Buick and Ryan Moore traditionally ride mine whenever they can but I think, at their own admission, they won’t be able to ride him come the summer.

“They both were available to ride him in Saudi but we’re just prolonging the inevitable and I want someone who is going to be able to create a bond with the horse.”

Murphy has ridden the Missed The Cut both at home and in a racecourse gallop at Chelmsford in a newly-established alliance between trainer and jockey.

“He’s done plenty of work, he’s been to Chelmsford to ride him the other morning and he’s delighted with him,” said Boughey.

“It’s a bit of a new thing, Oisin has only ridden one winner for me so it’s not really a relationship that’s had much to go at so far.

“He’s obviously a fantastic rider and I’m delighted to have him on board. He’s ridden at Newmarket and he went to Chelmsford the other morning, his work has been pretty good and there are few better men to know what a top class horse looks like than Oisin.”

Coltrane hits right notes in Melrose victory

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Coltrane completed his hat-trick with a dominant display in the Sky Bet Melrose Handicap at York.

Andrew Balding’s three-year-old did not make his debut until late June, but has made rapid progress in the space of a couple of months, with two sound efforts in defeat followed by back-to-back victories at Chepstow and Newmarket.

Facing a step up in class on the Knavesmire, Coltrane was sent off at 12-1 in the hands of champion jockey Oisin Murphy and moved smoothly into contention before pulling four lengths clear of Arthurian Fable.

“He had shown some nice work at home earlier in the year. He took a while to get his act together, but he won well at Chepstow and again on fast ground at Newmarket,” said Murphy.

“Being a typical Mastercraftsman, he relished a bit of dig in the ground today. On paper there were lots of horses who could improve, but this fella clearly stepped up.”

Asked whether the fast-improving colt could be a St Leger candidate, the rider added: “It didn’t even dawn on me. Let’s see what the owners think – Dashing Willoughby ran very well for them in a Leger. Whether that’s a step too far, I’m not sure.

“I think today was the target because it’s usually a valuable race and there’s plenty of history attached to it.

“I’m not sure what Andrew wants to do that. I think he would stay the Cesarewitch trip, but at his age it’s a long way to go (two and a quarter miles) and it also depends what the handicapper does.”

Acklam Express (100-30 favourite) also registered a third straight win as he came out top in the Julia Graves Roses Stakes under Tom Marquand.

Nigel Tinkler’s Hamilton and Goodwood scorer displayed courage as well as class in seeing off Queen Of Rio and Nomadic Empire by a nose and a head respectively.

Tinkler said: “I thought he was going to fade away with 100 yards to go and finish third or fourth, but he kept trying.

“The jockey said he hated the ground, but he’s very genuine and he’s puled it out of the bag – it’s brilliant to win a Listed race at York.

“There are some races in France he might just go for. I think he’s better on quicker ground.”

It was a shot in the arm for the Malton-based trainer following the disappointing performance of the classy Ubettabelieveit in Friday’s Gimcrack Stakes.

He added: “I wasn’t a happy man after that race, I promise you. He ran too keen and didn’t like the ground, but he didn’t have a hard race and he could possibly go for the Flying Childers at Doncaster.”

Ralph Beckett and Harry Bentley combined to land the Sky Bet Handicap with 10-1 chance Lucander, getting the better of Sky Defender by a length and three-quarters.