The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Realisation of lifetime ambition for jockey Murphy
BRITAIN’S newly crowned champions Flat jockey, Oisin Murphy, from Killarney, said getting to the pinnacle of the sport was “a lifelong ambition” and that he is “relieved and delighted” to have achieved that goal.
The 24-year-old is just the fifth Irish man to be crowned champion flat jockey in Britain, and is the youngest to do so in 13 years, when then 23-year-old Ryan Moore win the title in 2006.
Murphy had the title well in hand heading into the season finale at Ascot last Saturday, with his 168 winners putting him some way clear of Daniel Tudhope’s 133 wins and next best Jim Crowley on 98.
“I’m both relieved and delighted I managed to do it, as I set my stall out to be champion and it has been a lifelong ambition. I’m delighted,” Murphy said on Saturday. “I’d love to win another jockeys’ championship one day, but it won’t always go as well as it has this year and whether I can do it again next year, I don’t know.”
Multiple-winning jump jockey, Jim Culloty, who is Murphy’s uncle, said: “It’s been a great year for him and a fantastic result. He has worked very hard and it has paid dividends. He is highly talented and very bright. He has got all sides of the business covered. As well as being a great rider he is a very pure man that gets on with people and works hard.”
Oisin’s mother, Maria, who was in Ascot last Saturday for her son’s coronation, said: “This is hopefully the start of many, but he will have set another goal for next year. The Group Ones were a bit thin on the ground and I’d imagine more of them will be in the goals for next year.”
OISIN Murphy says his winning of the champion Flat jockey title has been a lifelong dream realised, with relief and delights the over-riding emotions after he was officially named champion jockey on Qipco British Champions Day at Ascot last Saturday.
The 24-year-old from Killarney is the youngest to win the title since 23-year-old Ryan Moore did so in 2006, and Murphy is just the fifth Irish jockey to win the British flat racing title, after legends of the track legend Pat Eddery, Kieren Fallon, Richard Hughes and Jamie Spencer.
Saturday’s coronation franks Murphy as an outstanding talent in a business brimful of quality jockeys in an unforgiving game.
That the Killarney man was champion apprentice jockey just five years ago - he has only been riding in Britain since 2013 - make this achievement all the more remarkable.
“I’m both relieved and delighted I managed to do it, as I set my stall out to be champion and it has been a lifelong ambition. I’m delighted,” Murphy said after receiving this trophy from world heptathlon gold medal winner Katrina Johnson-Thompson. “I’d love to win another jockeys’ championship one day, but it won’t always go as well as it has this year and whether I can do it again next year, I don’t know.”
Murphy’s equine experience started in showjumping, and he was 14 before he sat on a racehorse, but the connection to the racetrack was immediate.
Murphy’s uncle is Gold Cup winning jockey, Jim Culloty, who has been a great help to his fledgling career, and who was in Ascot to see celebrate with his nephew.
“It’s been a great year for him and a fantastic result for sure. He has worked very hard and it has paid dividends,” Culloty told Racing TV.
“He is highly talented and very bright. He has got all sides of the business covered. As well as being a great rider he is a very pure man that gets on with people and works hard. He gets on well with trainers, is polite and has all the attributes you need to succeed. He is one of those fellows that would be good at whatever he did, as he is bright and hard working and talented.
“I’m extremely proud, as are the whole family, as he is a nice lad with everything – with all the success, he is very grounded and there is no big-headedness. Fingers crossed it will be the first of many, but with the Flat jockeys they usually have to make a choice of wanting to be champion jockey or win big races,” Culloty added.
Murphy’s riding career in Britain started at Andrew Balding’s Kingsclere stables, and he is now retained by Qatar Racing. In claiming the title, Murphy rode 168 winners from 854 rides, well ahead of Daniel Tudhope on 133 wins, with Jim Crowley third on 98.
Murphy’s mother, Maria, told Racing TV: “It is absolutely amazing and beyond everyone’s expectations. It has been a hard slog, but he has got there in the end. Now it is all over we can breathe. It has been tough going on him physically and emotionally, but his driver and his agent have taken so much of the pressure off him. He has had wonderful support from owners and trainers. Without all that he couldn’t be where he is.
“He was 17 before he got his licence, which is quite old, but with his determination when he was allowed to take it all he wanted was to ride at the best of his ability and with that came the winners. His determination and ambitions have always been huge and that has played a huge part in it.
“He travels the country taking all these rides as he wants to improve all the time. This is hopefully the start of many, but he will have set another goal for next year. The Group Ones were a bit thin on the ground and I’d imagine more of them will be in the goals for next year.”