Murphy weighing up his riding future
Jockey at crossroads 10 years after National win Weight issues prompt decision to take a break
Ten years ago Timmy Murphy enjoyed the best week of his riding career when Comply Or Die won the 2008 Grand National for trainer David Pipe. But in 2015, his career as a jump jockey blighted by injury, he switched to the Flat like former weighing room colleague Graham Lee.
However, having appeared to be on the point of breakthrough on the Flat with 30 winners in both 2016 and 2017, Murphy is now taking a break from race-riding.
He still rides out for Richard Hannon but he has had weight problems and, having not ridden in a race since mid-february, a crunch time for him will be when he has to renew his licence at the end of the month. Much like Lee, who rode Amberleigh House to victory for Ginger Mccain in 2004, Murphy has extended his career in the saddle by switching codes.
But he has not cut his ties with jump racing altogether – he will be at Aintree on Saturday and offers rest and recuperation for jumpers on his farm near Chedworth, in Gloucestershire. Emma Lavelle and Paul and Clare Rooney are among those who send him horses for their summer holidays.
Reflecting on that day at Aintree 10 years ago, Murphy, who has ridden more than 1,000 jump winners, said: “It was all a bit of a haze because it was such a fantastic week. Our Vic beat Kauto Star in the Bowl, Al Eile won the Aintree Hurdle so I went out to ride in the National under no pressure at all.
“It wasn’t quite the same for DJ [Comply Or Die’s owner David Johnson]. It was the height of the financial crash so business wasn’t going so well. The horse was backed into joint-favourite on the day and only made one mistake, at the first ditch.
“I jumped the last upsides Snowy Morning and knew I had him beat so I hung on to my horse. At the Elbow I looked around and saw Paul Carberry doing his thing, stalking us on King John’s Castle and I thought ‘blimey, I’d better get on with things now.’ Afterwards it was surreal. Everyone was congratulating us and it was probably the most affection I got off the Pipes.
“It was my only winner over the fences and I remember crossing the Melling Road thinking ‘hang on, hang on, don’t get sucked in and start racing too soon’. That was all I was concentrating on. He was perfect for Aintree. He made up all his ground jumping.
“He might not have been the classiest winner of all time but he was second the following year, only beaten by a 100-1 shot. He had a high cruising speed but didn’t find a lot off the bridle, which suited him at Aintree because you never had to force him like you did in say a Hennessy or RSA. He was certainly a better ride in the National than he was out hunting in retirement. I took him one day and all he did was hurdle the uprights.”
After 8mm of rain yesterday the National course was soft everywhere except the lower-lying area by the Canal Turn, where it is heavy. Baies des Iles, the grey mare that will be ridden by Katie Walsh and is trained by her husband Ross O’sullivan, seems to have caught punters’ imagination and has been backed from 33-1 to 20-1.
Willie Mullins confirmed Paul Townend will ride joint-favourite Total Recall. David Mullins, the winner two years ago, will get the leg up on Pleasant Company while the trainer is undecided yet about a jockey for Childrens List, who has only had four starts over fences.