Maguire leads tributes to jump legend Ferdy Murphy

Tributes flowed yesterday after it was announced that Cheltenham Festival-winning trainer Ferdy Murphy had died at the age of 70 following a long battle with cancer.

Adrian Maguire, who spent several years as Murphy’s main jockey, said: “Ferdy was a great man and a fantastic trainer. He was very old school and a great man to ride for as he never tied you down to instructions. He knew the game inside out.”

Murphy’s son, Barry, told PA: “We had some amazing days. He was a true great, in my opinion, and had some amazing horses.

“He was a pure genius and a master of getting one well handicapped for Cheltenham. He was brilliant at producing a horse for a big day.”

Murphy took out a licence in 1990 and was especially successful when based at Wynbury Stables in North Yorkshire from 1996 to 2013. The Wexford-born trainer then relocated to Upper Normandy in France to be near his eldest daughter, Caroline.

In 2002, Murphy brought leading point-to-point rider Davy Russell from Ireland and provided him with his first winner as a professional jockey at Sedgefield. Two years later Russell returned to Ireland but later rode two Cheltenham Festival winners for Murphy in Joes Edge and Naiad Du Misselot.

Russell recalled his days with Murphy fondly: “When I came over, I was a long way from the finished article and he moulded me into a better jockey. He was a very good friend and I owe him a lot.”

The horse widely regarded as Murphy’s best was French Holly, who won the 1998 Royal & Sun Alliance Novices’ Hurdle by 14 lengths and finished third to Istabraq in the Champion Hurdle 12 months later.