Oisin Murphy aboard Marche Lorraine after the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Distaff (Ernie Belmonte/Past The Wire)
By Michaela Moricova
It’s been more than a year since we saw Oisin Murphy riding a winner. He was crowned the British Champion Jockey in 2021, claiming the title for the third time. However, the talented Irishman became notorious for failing either alcohol or drug tests over and over. It resulted in Murphy getting banned from racing in November 2021. He returned on February 16, 2023, and he did so with a bang at a small meeting at Chelmsford but as he told Racing TV, it was brilliant to be back.
Let’s go back to the beginning of this troubled champion and remind ourselves who this remarkably talented yet flawed (as every human being is) lad from Ireland is.
Beginnings at Balding’s
Born in Ireland, it is no surprise he started riding a horse at the very young age of four. In his teenage years, Oisin became fond of show jumping; however, he switched the route later on, to focus on pony racing. He continued on that path, and in 2012, he joined Andrew Balding’s team in Kingsclere, Berkshire. With Balding, Murphy quickly made a name for himself in 2013, winning four races during the Ayr Gold Cup meeting. Moreover, he also scored the main event with Highland Colori.
Upon gaining some experience in Australia, he returned to the UK to bag his premiere Group victory with Hot Streak. Together, they won the Temple Stakes, and Oisin was crowned the Champion Apprentice in 2014.
Shining in Colors of Qatar Racing
In 2016, Qatar Racing retained Oisin Murphy as their number-one jockey. He celebrated 10 group victories and caught the attention of fans, especially aboard Lightning Spear, who has always worn his heart on his sleeve. In the following years, Oisin Murphy’s star was only rising, given he celebrated victories at Royal Ascot, Dubai World Cup Night, or Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe meetings. Besides Lightning Spear, Murphy’s name is closely tied with another brave horse – Roaring Lion. The grey colt delivered superb performances in the Coral-Eclipse Stakes, Juddmonte International, Irish Champion Stakes, and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at the end of British Flat Season 2018. Roaring Lion was awarded the best three-year-old of the year, but unfortunately, once he entered stud and traveled to the southern hemisphere, he succumbed to a serious bout of colic.
Oisin All Over the World
When winning aboard Roaring Lion, Oisin Murphy had already established himself as one of the best jockeys in the UK. In 2020 he added a Classic victory to his resume as he piloted home Kameko in the G1 2000 Guineas and formed a formidable duo aboard deep-digging filly Alcohol Free. Moreover, he impressed the locals in the Japan Cup. Sure, he rode a Japanese horse Suave Richard, yet he proved he knew his way also over Japanese tracks.
For Japanese connections, he triumphed in the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Distaff aboard Marche Lorraine. To list all of Murphy’s achievements outside the UK and Ireland, we should mention his victory in the Bayerisches Zuchtrennen in Germany, where he piloted Godolphin-owned Benbatl. He also won the E. P. Taylor Stakes in Canada, rallying home with Blond Me.
Talented, Tenacious, yet Troubled
However, Oisin Murphy did not face his success, fame, and correlating doses of stress easily. He collected three Champion Jockey titles in a span of three years (2019, 2020, 2021), and being still a young guy; he relied on addictive substances to help him deal with struggles he encountered. That resulted in Murphy paying the price for his behavior in the form of bans for failing alcohol tests and drug tests and breaching the Covid-19 travel protocols.
In 2019, the first problem made it to the news as Murphy failed a breath test. Consequently, he missed several rides and lost leadership in the championship, yet he returned to the top and snatched up the title. However, the season of 2020 revealed Murphy’s problems with cocaine. He claimed he did not use it but was suspended by France Galop as he failed the test at a French meeting. He received the three-month ban in November 2020; however, the champion returned successfully in 2021 to add another Champion Jockey title.
The season of 2021 proved crucial for Murphy’s career, though. In October, he failed another breath test. Subsequently, the British Racing Authority faced the jockey with a disciplinary hearing due to his transgression, including breaching the Covid-19 travel protocols in 2020. For his misconduct, BHA banned him from racing until February 2023.
Back On The Track
Oisin Murphy gave up his license voluntarily, stressing he realized that he needed help. During the sabbatical, he never forgot to mention that Frankie Dettori has always been a great friend to him. Moreover, he used up his pause from riding to do some good things as he traveled to Poland and Ukraine to deliver supplies to horses and caretakers living in the war-stricken zone.
In 2023, Oisin Murphy hit the track again. The 27-year-old Irishman did so in fine style on February 16 at the all-weather meeting in Chelmsford. He piloted home favorite Jupiter Express trained by Michael Appleby, and even though it was only a Class 5 handicap, it must’ve been remarkable for Murphy. After all, it was his first start since 2021.
Now, Oisin Murphy is back. He’s made some mistakes, yet he tried to make amends. Hopefully, he’s wrapped his head around everything he did, and now has some successful years ahead. Because as it was said, Oisin Murphy is one of the best jockeys in the UK, but he needs to stay on the right path to show it.
If you are further interested in Oisin Murphy’s story, he starred in the Amazon Prime documentary Horsepower, alongside his former boss Andrew Balding.
