Oisin Murphy returns to track day after drink-driving court appearance
The talented Kerry jockey was handed a £70,000 fine and a 20-month driving ban after pleading guilty to one count of driving a motor vehicle while over the prescribed limit of alcohol.
A little over 24 hours later, Murphy was stateside for the lucrative Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes. Riding 7/4 favourite New Century, Murphy finished sixth place in a seven-strong field.
The top prize for the race was a whopping $472,500, with second getting $150k. A fourth-place finish still would have nabbed over $50,000.
Murphy released a statement shortly after his guilty plea where he offered 'no excuse' for his actions.
'I would like to sincerely apologise for my actions. I know that drink driving is unacceptable and there is no excuse for what I did.
'I have let a lot of people down. I particularly want to apologise to my passenger and her family," he said in his statement.
Trainer Andrew Balding has said he will offer Murphy 'all the help and support' he can following the incident.
Balding, who has a long and successful association with Murphy, enjoyed a Friday treble at Sandown, from where he told Racing TV: 'He'd made them (details of the case) known in advance, but obviously we were hoping that what we were hearing was accurate and that was the case.
'Obviously it's not an ideal situation for him or for us or for anyone really, but I really hope that we can take this as a point to move forward and I know he'll be working closely with the BHA and we'll be giving him all the help and support we can to try to ensure nothing like this ever happens again.
"Everyone makes mistakes, but I think as long as there's an intent to improve going forward, we're all behind him."
The multiple champion jockey admitted driving a car while drunk and crashing into a tree earlier this year.
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Irish Daily Mirror
11 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Oisin Murphy returns to track day after drink-driving court appearance
Oisin Murphy failed to feature in the places as he returned to the track a day after pleading guilty to his drink-driving case. The talented Kerry jockey was handed a £70,000 fine and a 20-month driving ban after pleading guilty to one count of driving a motor vehicle while over the prescribed limit of alcohol. A little over 24 hours later, Murphy was stateside for the lucrative Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes. Riding 7/4 favourite New Century, Murphy finished sixth place in a seven-strong field. The top prize for the race was a whopping $472,500, with second getting $150k. A fourth-place finish still would have nabbed over $50,000. Murphy released a statement shortly after his guilty plea where he offered 'no excuse' for his actions. 'I would like to sincerely apologise for my actions. I know that drink driving is unacceptable and there is no excuse for what I did. 'I have let a lot of people down. I particularly want to apologise to my passenger and her family," he said in his statement. Trainer Andrew Balding has said he will offer Murphy 'all the help and support' he can following the incident. Balding, who has a long and successful association with Murphy, enjoyed a Friday treble at Sandown, from where he told Racing TV: 'He'd made them (details of the case) known in advance, but obviously we were hoping that what we were hearing was accurate and that was the case. 'Obviously it's not an ideal situation for him or for us or for anyone really, but I really hope that we can take this as a point to move forward and I know he'll be working closely with the BHA and we'll be giving him all the help and support we can to try to ensure nothing like this ever happens again. "Everyone makes mistakes, but I think as long as there's an intent to improve going forward, we're all behind him." The multiple champion jockey admitted driving a car while drunk and crashing into a tree earlier this year.
Irish Daily Mirror
11 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Oisin Murphy to get 'all the help and support' following drink-driving case
Andrew Balding has vowed to give Oisin Murphy 'all the help and support' he can after the multiple champion jockey admitted driving a car while drunk and crashing into a tree earlier this year. Murphy was fined £70,000 and banned from driving for 20 months after being sentenced at Reading Magistrates' Court on Thursday, with the 29-year-old having pleaded guilty to one count of driving a motor vehicle while over the prescribed limit of alcohol. He later issued a statement apologising for his actions, saying 'there is no excuse for what I did', while the British Horseracing Authority confirmed he is free to continue riding amid plans to place new conditions on his licence. Balding, who has a long and successful association with Murphy, enjoyed a Friday treble at Sandown, from where he told Racing TV: 'He'd made them (details of the case) known in advance, but obviously we were hoping that what we were hearing was accurate and that was the case. 'Obviously it's not an ideal situation for him or for us or for anyone really, but I really hope that we can take this as a point to move forward and I know he'll be working closely with the BHA and we'll be giving him all the help and support we can to try to ensure nothing like this ever happens again.' Murphy travelled to America to partner former Balding inmate New Century in the Belmont Derby at Saratoga on Friday night, but is scheduled to be back in action in Britain on Saturday for seven rides at Sandown, including Charlie Appleby's 2000 Guineas winner Ruling Court in the Coral-Eclipse and three booked mounts for the Balding team. When asked if he would continue to support Murphy, the trainer added: 'Yes, of course. Everyone makes mistakes, but I think as long as there's an intent to improve going forward, we're all behind him. 'It's for the regulator to put in what they want to see going forward and let them deal with it. 'We have (had a long, professional relationship with Murphy) and we expect higher standards than that. It was a very unfortunate incident and I hope that's the end of it.'
The Irish Sun
15 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Oisin Murphy gets away with a slap on the wrist as BHA refuse to take stronger action
'HAVE you been waiting long?' Oisin Murphy seemed pretty relaxed as he greeted a group of photographers who were waiting for him to arrive at Reading Magistrates' Court on Thursday lunchtime. Advertisement 2 Oisin Murphy pleaded guilty to drink driving on Thursday Credit: PA His arrival had been signalled when his driver was spotted peering around a corner to check if the coast was clear. It wasn't. There was barely a spare seat in the public gallery as Oisin was called into Court 3, where one member of the press raised concerns to the clerk about being able to hear what was being said. 'There are microphones,' he replied. 'And there is nowhere else for you to go, unless you want to go in the dock?' While many in the racing fraternity would probably enjoy seeing journos up in front of the beak, the moment of levity lasted briefly as we were all here for a very serious reason. Advertisement Oisin only spoke to confirm details such as his name and date of birth, and to He was only breathalysed by cops SEVEN hours after the crash, and he was still nearly twice the legal limit at seven in the morning. It is unclear why he wasn't asked for a plea on the second charge — failing to provide a sample at the roadside — which was described as a 'misunderstanding' by the prosecutor Richard Atkins. The resulting sentence was a 20-month driving ban and a £70,000 fine. For a very wealthy young jockey who has his own driver, you could argue it's no more than a firm slap on the wrist. Advertisement Most read in Horse Racing I found it most surprising the BHA, bar adding some new conditions to Oisin's licence and expressing their 'disappointment', have decided to take no further action. For now, at least. As A glaring example came on last weekend's Luck On Sunday show, when Jayne McGivern, a stud owner who is overseeing a multi-million pound construction project in Saudia Arabia, gave her view. She said: 'He's a wonderful guy, an absolute superstar. Jockeys risk their lives every time they get on a horse. We can't possibly understand the pressures. Advertisement 'He has battled demons and sometimes the demons win. We need more understanding and empathy in this case for Oisin. 'It didn't happen on a racecourse or near a horse. It's his private life and it's nothing to do with us.' That, in a nutshell, is what's wrong with so many in this sport — especially racing's elite or establishment figures. They do not take it seriously, many excuse and indulge Oisin and, quite frankly, enable his destructive behaviour. Advertisement And Joe Public can't possibly criticise or comment because, well, jockeys are under pressure. Another excuse. I'm of the view that this 'nothing to see here' attitude sends a message to Oisin that he can keep pushing the limits while retaining all his privilege, which is a very dangerous place to be. So I'm not sure why the BHA felt it wasn't necessary to take firmer action — I think it's weak and I don't think it's helpful to Oisin. After all, they were the ones who put conditions on his licence in the first place when he returned from his ban in February 2023 and emphasised the strict requirement to 'remain sober'. Advertisement There are plenty of examples out there of tough BHA action but here is one I thought I'd share, for all it's not a perfect comparison. In 2020, they banned conditional jockey Callum McKinnes for 56 days for a riding offence which the judicial panel said brought racing 'into disrepute'. He was riding a 150-1 shot at Hereford that finished a distant fifth, but they reckon he 'should have finished fourth'. So not riding with enough vigour to finish fourth on a rank outsider is considered disreputable, but crashing a car while carrying a passenger and nearly twice the drink-drive limit isn't? Hmm. 2 The man who took photos of Oisin in court reacts angrily to photographers in Reading Advertisement The drama continued after Oisin had left to fly to the US. A member of the public had taken photos of him in court and was hauled into the dock Oisin had just been occupying, given a severe bollocking by the judge and threatened with arrest. What a circus — which is pretty apt considering the last few years of Oisin's turbulent career. FREE BETS - GET THE BEST SIGN UP DEALS AND RACING OFFERS Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. . Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who: Read more on the Irish Sun Establishes time and monetary limits before playing Only gambles with money they can afford to lose Never chases their losses Doesn't gamble if they're upset, angry or depressed Gamcare – Gamble Aware – Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here. Advertisement
