Oisin Murphy | Horse Racing Free Tips

Racing League Jockeys Revealed

Several big names have been added to the upcoming Racing League competition this summer. Frankie Dettori, Oisin Murphy, Jim Crowley and Hollie Doyle are all set to take part.

Dettori is part of the Newmarket team, along with fellow riders Jamie Spencer and Luke Morris, who are paired with trainers John Gosden, Sir Mark Prescott, Robert Cowell and David Simcock. Murphy, Hayley Turner and Sean Levey are riding for Andrew Balding and Richard Hannon.

Murphy said, “This is an exciting innovation and considering the prize money there should be fierce competition between the teams. I look forward to being involved.”

Turner added, “It's great that the racing industry has decided to try something a bit different. I know the jockeys and the trainers are all really excited. I think it will help to capture a non-racing audience and be a fun event all round.”

The trio of Jim Crowley, Hector Crouch and Pat Cosgrave will ride for trainers George Baker, David Menuisier, Gary Moore and Amanda Perrett. Meanwhile, Doyle, Jack Mitchell and Cieren Fallon team up with another Newmarket training team consisting of Michael Bell, Ed Dunlop, James Fanshawe and Roger Varian.

Ireland is represented by David Egan, Gavin Ryan and Dylan Browne McMonagle for O'Brien brothers Donnacha and Joseph. However, Team France is in a holding pattern, as confirmation of regulations surrounding Brexit and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is still needed before announcing their nominated jockeys.

The Racing League competition limits each jockey to 18 of the 36 races in the competition. There is also £50,000 on offer to the three jockeys that score the most points in the competition. The 12 teams will compete at six meetings of six races apiece over six consecutive Thursdays in the summer beginning at Newcastle on July 29. Points are available from first to 10th in each race, and the highest scoring team throughout the competition wins the league.

Oli Harris, the Racing League's Chief Marketing Officer, said “We're delighted that the teams have now confirmed their jockeys. The likes of Hollie, Oisin and Frankie will no doubt grab the headlines, but we are also excited to have some of the most talented up and coming jockeys in UK and Ireland on board, as well as experienced campaigners such as Paul Hanagan, Martin Dwyer and Jamie Spencer. This is an important step in painting a complete picture of the Racing League.

“We will follow this by announcing the principal naming partner of each team, before the 30 horses in each team's squad are selected in July.”

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Oisin Murphy’s Return From Ban Delayed

Champion jockey Oisin Murphy has had his return from a three-month riding ban delayed as he has not completed the requisite BHA testing in time to take up his booked rides today (Friday) at Lingfeld.

Early on Friday morning, Murphy announced via two tweets that he had been made aware of an “administrative error” which prevented his immediate comeback from a suspension after he tested positive for metabolites of cocaine when riding at Chantilly in July 2020.

He said, “At 18.50 yesterday I was personally informed by the BHA due to an administrative error I will not be able to partner my rides at Lingfield today and Chelmsford on Saturday. I'm currently looking into this situation with the BHA and I plan to be back on the racetrack as soon as I possibly can. I apologise profusely to all the owners, trainers and supporters who I'm having to let down at such late notice. It's 128 days since my last ride in the UK.”

A subsequent statement released by the BHA outlined the requirement for jockeys returning from a suspension of this kind to undergo a course of testing and to be confirmed safe to ride by the BHA's chief medical advisor.

It read, “On 22 February Mr Murphy contacted the BHA about his intended return to race riding. The BHA liaised with him and the PJA from this point onwards, including in regards to his testing requirements.

“On 2 March Mr Murphy was reminded of the requirements and that it is his responsibility to complete the necessary tests before a return to riding. As of 12 March Mr Murphy is only part way through his reinstatement testing and he is therefore unable to ride at this point.”

Murphy was handed his suspension by France Galop in late November just weeks after being crowned champion jockey in Britain for the second time. The ban was considered lenient for such an offence, which ordinarily would warrant a suspension of at least six months, but the France Galop stewards accepted a hair test and testimony from Murphy that he had not taken cocaine himself but had been contaminated during an encounter with someone he subsequently discovered to be a user.

As is usual practice, the ban was reciprocated by the BHA and the jockey was stood down from riding from Dec. 11 last year. It is understood that Murphy has completed three of the four urine tests required before he can race ride again. He responded to the BHA statement with a further message on Twitter.

He said, “Please note I can't arrange testing personally. Only the BHA have the ability to do so. I've been available and completed all the tests thus far.”

Murphy is currently booked for three rides at Newcastle on Tuesday.

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Champion Oisin Murphy Returns From Suspension at Lingfield

Champion jockey Oisin Murphy, who has been serving a three-month suspension, returns to the saddle at Lingfield on Friday. The two-time champion jockey and retained rider for Qatar Racing was banned by France Galop stewards following a positive test this past summer for cocaine metabolites. Throughout the investigation, Murphy denied taking cocaine. A France Galop hearing accepted Murphy's hair sample results and his testimony regarding unintentional environmental contamination. His three mounts over the Lingfield polytrack on Friday are: Saeed Manana and trainer James Tate's Rain Gauge (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) in the 1:30 p.m. one-mile novice stakes and that duo's Sky Commander (Ire) (War Command) in the 2:05 p.m. seven-furlong handicap. He Can Dance (Ire) (Es Que Love {Ire}) rounds out the trio in the 2:40 p.m. seven-furlong handicap for owner/trainer Sylvester Kirk.

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‘I Wasn’t Sure If I Wanted To Ride Again’: Oisin Murphy Reveals Mental Struggles After Drug Positive

Champion jockey Oisin Murphy tested positive for metabolites of cocaine in July of 2020, later revealed that a sex partner was likely responsible for the positive test and was absolved of taking the drug himself, and eventually wound up with a three-month suspension from France-Galop which will end in March of 2021.

He retained his championship title in 2020, but this week Murphy candidly revealed to the Racing Post's My Sporting Mind podcast the struggles he endured mentally during the latter half of the season.

“I felt like the world had turned against me, over something I didn't really mean to happen,” Murphy said. “When I went to America [for the Breeders' Cup] I was hoping I'd done enough to win the jockeys' championship and by the time I rode in my last race, I wasn't sure if I wanted to ride again.”

Help came from fellow top jockey Frankie Dettori in the form of supportive messages, as well as the rest of his family and friends.

“I remember feeling the season was going to be defined one of two ways – I could fight on or let my season, my year, crumble to nothing,” Murphy summarized. “I knew I was going to get the ban, but I also knew that if I didn't win the jockeys' championship it would have been a season when I allowed everything that was going on around me to defeat me.”