Racing

Oisín Murphy relinquishes riding licence to ‘focus on rehabilitation’

Killarney jockey said he has realised he needs to ‘seek serious help’ after breaches

Oisín Murphy has relinquished his riding licence with immediate effect while he engages “fully with medical support”, the champion jockey and the British Horseracing Authority have announced in a joint-statement. Photo: Nigel French/PA Wire

Greg Wood
Thu Dec 16 2021 - 18:24

Oisin Murphy, Britain’s champion jockey on the Flat for the last three seasons, said on Thursday that he has “temporarily” relinquished his licence to “focus on rehabilitation” after it emerged that he will face disciplinary charges early in 2022 relating to two racecourse positives for alcohol in 2021, as well as a failure to follow Covid protocols in September 2020.

Killarney native Murphy was stood down from riding at Newmarket in September after failing a pre-race breath test, which was believed at the time to be his second positive for alcohol in just over two years, following a similar incident at Salisbury in June 2019.

However, it emerged on Thursday that he also failed a urine test at Chester in May 2021, which means in turn that his failed breath test at Newmarket would be his third positive within 36 months. That would trigger an automatic ban of between 60 and 180 days, with an entry point of a 90-day ban.

In addition, the British Horseracing Authority said in a statement on Thursday that Murphy will also faces charges of “misleading or attempting to mislead the BHA regarding his true location between 9 and 12 September” last year, “accessing the racecourse in breach of the Covid-19 requirements” and “acting in a manner prejudicial to the proper conduct and good reputation of horse racing.”

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The jockey had been due to appear before an independent disciplinary panel earlier this month for the Covid breach, but that has been postponed after submissions from his legal team and the rider’s decision to temporarily hand in his licence.

In a statement released jointly with the BHA’s announcement of the charges against him, Murphy said: “On returning from abroad last September in 2020 I failed to follow the Covid protocol set out by the BHA. In breaking these rules, and attempting to mislead the BHA, I’ve let my governing body down, along with trainers, owners, staff, sponsors and family for which I wish to apologise.”

His statement continued: “In addition to this there have been two racecourse incidents linked to alcohol during 2021. It became obvious to me and to everyone else that I needed to seek serious help. In recognition of this I have relinquished my licence and will now focus on my rehabilitation. I am grateful to the BHA for agreeing to postpone the disciplinary hearing [originally scheduled for December 10th] until I have been able to take these steps.

“Whether I deserve it or not, many kind people have stood by me and I really appreciate their support. I’m deeply embarrassed and regret my actions.”

Murphy was crowned champion again in October following an epic battle with William Buick. The Killarney-born rider looked set for a comfortable defence of his title with a few weeks of the season to go – but a late charge from Buick set up a thrilling finale, with Murphy ultimately coming out on top by 153 winners to 151.

Away from his big-race victories, Murphy – who is the retained rider for Sheikh Fahad’s powerful Qatar Racing operation – has been in the headlines for all the wrong reasons of late and admitted he thought about quitting racing altogether while serving a drugs ban.

He was banned for three months in November of last year after a racecourse test, taken at Chantilly in July, found traces of cocaine in his system. Having always strenuously denied he had taken any drugs, Murphy requested a B sample – and upon receiving the results, France Galop held a hearing where the rider’s defence of environmental contamination from a sexual encounter and scientific hair test evidence was accepted. – Guardian