Latest news with #BHA
South Wales Guardian
2 hours ago
- South Wales Guardian
Oisin Murphy to continue riding ahead of court appearance
Thames Valley Police said in a statement on Thursday that the 29-year-old had been charged in connection with a road traffic accident in Berkshire in April. It is alleged he was over the prescribed alcohol limit and failed to cooperate when asked to give a preliminary test at the scene. On Friday the BHA said there was nothing to prevent Murphy continuing to ride on an ongoing basis and he travelled to Doncaster for five mounts, winning the Doncaster Racecourse Supporting Racing Staff Week Handicap aboard the Andrew Balding-trained 8-13 favourite Displaying. The four-time champion is due to be in action at York on Saturday where his six booked mounts include Formal in the Group Three Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Criterion Stakes. Murphy – who rode five winners at Royal Ascot last week – is due to appear at Reading Magistrates' Court on July 3. He was charged last Thursday, when he rode at double at the showpiece meeting through Arabian Story and Never So Brave.
Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Barry Hills dies aged 88 as tributes paid to trainer of more than 3,000 winners
Barry Hills had a brilliant career and he won four of the five British Classics at least once, before he handed over the stable's licence to son Charlie in 2011 Tributes have been paid to top horse racing trainer Barry Hills who has died at the age of 88. Hills sent out more than 3,000 winners during a brilliant career which lasted more than 40 years - and saw him saddle winners of four of the five British Classics at least once. He set out at South Bank Stables in Lambourn and 1973 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Rheingold, 24-time scorer Further Flight and 2004 Guineas hero Haafhd were among the best horses he trained. A statement from the British Horseracing Authority said: "All of us at the BHA are saddened to learn of the death of Barry Hills and send our deepest condolences to his family and friends at this sad time. "Barry's contribution to racing was immense and he will rightly be remembered as one of the great figures of our sport." In a post on his X account, son Charlie Hills said: 'Gone but will never be forgotten #dad.' Charlie took on the stable's licence in 2011 when his father, who battled serious illnesses including cancer, retired. He briefly made a return to the sport after the death of his son John in 2014. Hills was also father to Michael and Richard, both successful riders who rode almost 2,000 winners each and George, who has worked in bloodstock. "Very sorry to hear about the death of Barry Hills. In awe of him, tough as nails," commentator Mike Cattermole wrote on X. "Incredible life which changed after an almighty gamble with Frankincense in the 1968 Lincoln. Arc-winning trainer within five years. Patriarch of an amazing racing family. Thoughts with them all." Trainer Dylan Cunha said it was "devastating" to hear his former boss had passed away. "My deepest condolences & sympathies with the Hills family," he said on the social media platform. "Barry Hills was a true legend, a master indeed & I always think back to the best days I ever had working there." Hills, who prepared Tap On Wood to take the 2,000 Guineas in 1979 and saddled Ghanaati three decades years later, had ten British and Irish Classics on his record. Starting out as a jockey, one of his more unusual successes came in the 1992 Stayers' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival with Nomadic Way. The blinkered runner switched between the two codes of racing and he also claimed the 1988 Cesarewitch Handicap. He died in 2012 at the age of 27. And Further Flight was a real stable favourite, galloping to victory in five editions of the Jockey Club Cup. A spokesperson for the Racehorse Owners Association said: "Everyone at the ROA is deeply saddened by the passing of Barry Hills, and we extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends during this time. "Barry made an extraordinary contribution to racing and will be remembered as one of the sport's true greats."
The Herald Scotland
4 hours ago
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Training legend Barry Hills dies at the age of 88
Hills was also father to retired Classic-winning jockeys Michael and Richard, while son Charlie took over at the family's Faringdon Place yard and has enjoyed a string of big-race victories. Another son, George, bloodstock insurance. His eldest son, John, was also a successful trainer before his death from cancer in June 2014, with the pair memorably battling it out in the 1994 Leger, when Moonax fended off Broadway Flyer by a length and a quarter. Barry Hills and son Richard after winning the 2000 Guineas with Haafhd (PA) In a post on his X account, Charlie Hills said: 'Gone but will never be forgotten #dad.' A statement from the British Horseracing Authority read: 'All of us at the BHA are saddened to learn of the death of Barry Hills and send our deepest condolences to his family and friends at this sad time. 'Barry's contribution to racing was immense and he will rightly be remembered as one of the great figures of our sport.' Before taking out his training licence, Hills rode nine winners as an apprentice and spent 10 years learning his trade as head lad with John Oxley before striking out his own, saddling his first winner La Dolce Vita at Thirsk in April 1969. His first Group One winner followed in 1971 while Rheingold's Arc victory in 1973 provided consolation after being beaten just a short head in the previous year's Derby – one of four Epsom runners-up for Hills, who never managed to land the blue riband. Sir Alex Ferguson listens as Barry Hills (left) and his son Charlie (right) talk to jockey Silvestre de Sousa at York (John Giles/PA) Newmarket proved a happier hunting ground though, with Enstone Spark (1978) and Ghanaati (2009) landing the 1000 Guineas, while Tap On Wood (1979) and Haafhd (2004) prevailed in the 2000. While Epsom Derby glory eluded him, Sir Harry Lewis won the Irish version in 1987 and he also bagged the Irish Oaks and 1000 Guineas twice during an illustrious career. Hills announced his retirement in August 2011 after overcoming serious illnesses, including throat cancer, but he did make a brief return to training on a temporary licence in 2014 following the death of George.
Irish Daily Mirror
7 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Oisin Murphy update as jockey able to continue riding after drink driving charge
British champion jockey Oisin Murphy is set to continue riding despite being charged with a drink driving offence. The Kerry native, a four-time winner of the Flat championship, is scheduled to face magistrates in Reading next Thursday, July 3. Thames Valley Police released a statement on Thursday outlining the allegations against him. "A man has been charged in connection with an ongoing investigation into a serious road traffic collision in Hermitage, West Berkshire," they confirmed in their statement. "Last Thursday (19/6) Oisin Murphy, aged 29, of Beales Farm Road, Lambourn, Hungerford, was charged by postal requisition with one count of driving a motor vehicle while over the prescribed limit of alcohol and one count of failing to cooperate with a preliminary test at the roadside." "The charge is in connection with a single vehicle road traffic collision around 12.05am on Sunday 27 April this year when a grey Mercedes A Class left the road and crashed into a tree. "Murphy is due to appear at Reading Magistrates' Court on 3 July. It is vital that people do not speculate or spread misinformation on social media as this is a live investigation." Following the April car incident, Murphy was detained and subsequently released on police bail. He had ridden three winners at Leicester the day before but missed his rides at Southwell on the day of the accident due to what were described on the stewards' report as "travel issues". He was back in the saddle at Windsor on the Monday. Murphy has ridden 86 winners in 2025, more than any other jockey, and leads the jockeys' championship with 49 winners. He had a very successful Royal Ascot meetinglast weekwhere he rode five winners. The jockey has a full schedule of mounts over the coming days. He has five rides at Doncaster on Friday, six at York on Saturday, five at Ffos Las on Sunday, eight at Windsor on Monday and is then due to ride at Chelmsford on Tuesday and Thirsk on Wednesday. He has no further rides booked next week. Following the announcement of the charges, the British Horseracing Authority released a statement: "The BHA is aware of an update issued by Thames Valley Police this afternoon regarding Mr Oisin Murphy. We are now seeking to gather as much information as possible in order to consider what, if any, implications there are as a result of this development." The regulator has issued further guidance to confirm there is nothing to prevent Murphy continuing to ride. As the case is an ongoing legal matter involving criminal charge the BHA would be likely to await the outcome of the jockey's court appearance before considering any further response.
Leader Live
18 hours ago
- Leader Live
Oisin Murphy to continue riding ahead of court appearance
Thames Valley Police said in a statement on Thursday that the 29-year-old had been charged in connection with a road traffic accident in Berkshire in April. It is alleged he was over the prescribed alcohol limit and failed to cooperate when asked to give a preliminary test at the scene. On Friday the BHA said there was nothing to prevent Murphy continuing to ride on an ongoing basis and he travelled to Doncaster for five mounts, winning the Doncaster Racecourse Supporting Racing Staff Week Handicap aboard the Andrew Balding-trained 8-13 favourite Displaying. The four-time champion is due to be in action at York on Saturday where his six booked mounts include Formal in the Group Three Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Criterion Stakes. Murphy – who rode five winners at Royal Ascot last week – is due to appear at Reading Magistrates' Court on July 3. He was charged last Thursday, when he rode at double at the showpiece meeting through Arabian Story and Never So Brave.
