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Sun Chariot The Centre Of Saturday Feast

ParisLongchamp warms up for Sunday’s main event with a fascinating card on Saturday, but it is Newmarket’s sole pattern race which steals the show with the G1 Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot S. featuring a clutch of high-class milers. They are headed by the rising sensation Champers Elysees (Ire) (Elzaam {Aus}), who upstaged the re-opposing Peaceful (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Matron S. at Leopardstown last time on Sept. 12 and has subsequently prompted a purchase by Teruya Yoshida. Stepping up off a prior win in the G3 Fairy Bridge S. over an extended seven-furlong trip at Gowran Park on Sept. 2, the Johnny Murtagh-trained bay showed a deadly turn of acceleration to dominate her first race at the top level and soft ground will hold fewer fears for her than the June 13 G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Peaceful. “With a filly like her, you just don’t know when they’ll stop,” Murtagh said. “She’s been remarkable this year, starting off in a handicap and she’s gone up to Group 1 company, winning all the way. This will be her fifth run of the year, so she hasn’t been over-raced. We know it’s a tough assignment and she has to travel, which she’s never done before, but she’s tough and genuine. Her preparation has gone very smoothly and we’re looking forward to it.”

Also in the cast is the one-two-three from the July 10 G1 Falmouth S. in Nazeef (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), Billesdon Brook (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) and Terebellum (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}). Shadwell’s homebred came out on top in that July Course encounter, but after two defeats over 10 furlongs in the July 30 G1 Nassau S. and Aug. 23 G1 Prix Jean Romanet, she has to bounce back while Billesdon Brook possibly has to step up on her defeat of Veracious (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in this 12 months ago. Trainer Richard Hannon said, “Billesdon Brook loves it at Newmarket. She seems to run 10 pounds better there than she does on any other track. We didn’t think she would win the 1000 Guineas, which she did, and we didn’t think she would win the Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes last year, and she did. I see no reason why she shouldn’t run a massive race. She comes alive at Newmarket–the straight mile seems to suit her a lot more than a round mile–and she is working super at home.”

Longchamp Warms Up With Group 1 Double

Paris Longchamp’s Saturday card now has the G1 Qatar Prix de Royallieu and G1 Qatar Prix du Cadran as its dual focus, with the former in its second year as an upgraded top-level contest for staying fillies and mares. Robbed of the likely favourite Enbihaar (Ire) (Redoute’s Choice {Aus}) through injury, the 14-furlong feature could prove an ideal opportunity for Scott Heider’s first success in this grade in Europe with the progressive 3-year-old Pista (American Pharoah). Coming off a win in the G2 Park Hill Fillies’ S. at Doncaster on Sept. 10, the Joseph O’Brien-trained bay handled soft ground when getting off the mark at Galway on Aug. 2 but whether she will handle it as well as Waverley Racing’s proven mudlark Manuela de Vega (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) remains to be seen. Emphatic in such conditions in Haydock’s G3 Pinnacle S. on June 7 and G2 Lancashire Oaks on July 5, she was found out last time when a well-beaten fourth as the ground proved too dry in the Aug. 20 G1 Yorkshire Oaks.

The Aga Khan and Alain de Royer-Dupre currently hold the record of eight successes apiece in this race when it was staged as a Group 3 and Group 2 and Ebaiyra (Distorted Humor) has sound claims of adding to that tally following her success in soft ground in Deauville’s G2 Prix de Pomone over 12 1/2 furlongs on Aug. 23.

In the 2 1/2-mile Cadran, George Strawbridge’s 2018 hero Call the Wind (GB) (Frankel {GB}) bids for compensation for his strong-finishing second to Holdthasigreen (Fr) (Hold That Tiger) when given too much to do last year. Unlucky not to be unbeaten in 2020, the homebred enjoyed the perfect prep when successful in the 15-furlong G2 Prix Kergorlay at Deauville on Aug. 23 and sets a lofty standard. One that could reach the heights is the Tony Mullins-trained Princess Zoe (Ger) (Jukebox Jury {Ire}), who made it four straight wins in Galway’s Listed Oyster S. over 12 furlongs on heavy ground on Sept. 8 and the runner-up Barrington Court (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) has since franked the form when third in the G3 Loughbrown S. “I certainly never expected to be in a Group 1 with her, but when we started training her I knew we had a very good handicapper,” Mullins said. “Admittedly it was a much lower-grade race, but the evidence from Galway was that she was only starting to open up over two-miles-one and it is a savage hill there. From that we are confident she’ll stay, but you can never be sure until you dip your toe in the water.”

Also lurking is a lightly-raced, unexposed filly in the line-up who could be a threat in the Francis-Henri Graffard-trained Think of Me (Ger) (So You Think {NZ}). Successful in the 14-furlong Listed Prix Gold River at Deauville on May 21, in which Friday’s listed scorer Amarena (Fr) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) was third, Clear Light SAS’s bargain buy was an eye-catching second to Longchamp specialist Called To the Bar (Ire) (Henrythenavigator) in the Sept. 6 G3 Prix Gladiateur.

ParisLongchamp’s supporting races include the G2 Qatar Prix Dollar over an extended 11 furlongs, where Jean-Claude Seroul’s defending champion and triple group winner Skalleti (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) bids to book his ticket to Ascot’s G1 Champion S. He faces Coolmore’s ‘TDN Rising Star’ Ocean Atlantique (American Pharoah), who beat the smart filly Irska (Fr) (Hunter’s Light {Ire}) by five lengths in the 10-furlong Listed Prix de Suresnes at Deauville on May 31 before finishing a disappointing 10th in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly on July 5. Also in the mix is Haras de Saint Pair’s highly-regarded Sept. 6 G3 La Coupe de Maisons-Laffitte winner Glycon (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), while the G2 Qatar Prix Daniel Wildenstein sees the return of Al Asayl France’s 2019 winner The Revenant (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). Off the track since his subsequent second in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. at Ascot in October, the 5-year-old has ground conditions to suit as he starts back.

“He was very impressive last year. He’s a fantastic horse, but this season has been difficult as we knew he wasn’t going to have his ground,” The Revenant’s trainer Francis-Henri Graffard commented. “I feel he’s in the same form as last year. He’s worked really well, he will love the ground and I’m happy with his condition. Will he need the race? I don’t think so, but we’ll see on Saturday. He’s such a nice horse. We’ll see if he goes back to Ascot. We are running with a very fresh horse this year.”

Logician Comeback Continues At Ascot

At Ascot, Khalid Abullah’s 2019 G1 St Leger hero Logician (GB) (Frankel {GB}) kicks off a huge weekend for the operation in the G3 Tote.co.uk Cumberland Lodge S. as he continues on the road back from an attack of peritonitis during the winter. Still unbeaten and full of enthusiasm based on his easy return success in a non-event two-runner affair at Doncaster on Sept. 10, the grey has last year’s impressive winner Morando (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) to aim at in this 12-furlong contest which will tell connections a lot more about his current standard. “This weekend is why we are in the game, for these great moments,” Teddy Grimthorpe said. “We have an unbeaten Classic winner running on Saturday and a great racemare going for a third Arc on Sunday, it doesn’t get much bigger than that. For everyone, from Prince Khalid downwards at Juddmonte, it’s exciting and this is what it is all about. If you didn’t get nervous you clearly don’t care.”

Of Logician, who will be racing on the deepest ground he has yet to encounter after persistent rain blighted the venue on Friday, the operation’s racing manager added, “Given how serious his illness was over the winter, we were delighted with how Doncaster went in every way and everyone has been very pleased with him since. All his work at home suggests he’s in very good form–it’s encouraging. We always thought he would handle soft ground. If it gets extreme, what I call specialist areas, then that is an unknown, but I think he’d certainly handle it soft. His dam, Scuffle, never ran on anything like it’s going to be, but his dad, Frankel, of course won a Champion S. on bottomless ground on Champions Day so there is some encouragement. This looks a nice race for him, a Group 3 without a penalty, but like all these things the reality is never quite what you imagine. He’s going into the race in good form, we’re all happy with him and have been since Doncaster. Of course there is some trepidation, mainly because of the infection he had over the winter, but hopefully he’s over it.”

Elsewhere on Ascot’s fixture, last year’s G3 John Guest Racing Bengough S. winner Cape Byron (GB) (Shamardal) makes his belated seasonal bow in the same race for the Roger Varian stable who also runs Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa’s G2 Rockfel S. and G3 Albany S. winner Daahyeh (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) in the Listed John Guest Racing British EBF S., or October S. Second to Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. at The Curragh in September and to Sharing (Speightstown) in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies’ Turf, she makes her belated comeback under David Egan who said, “We’ve not seen her on track this year as she had a little setback, but I’m sure she will be spot-on for Saturday and I’m hoping she can get back to her best. She has obviously got the form in the book, having been second in the Breeders’ Cup and being a Royal Ascot winner, so she is the one to beat. They’ve done plenty of work with her and Roger feels she is fit and ready to go and make her mark for the year. She is back at seven furlongs having run over a mile at the Breeders’ Cup, but she won the Rockfel over seven and the Albany over six, so she is not short of speed. I think an Ascot seven is well within her capabilities. I wouldn’t want it bottomless for her, but anything would be fine as long as it is not exaggerated.”

At Tipperary, the Niarchos Family’s Albigna (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) takes another class drop in the G3 Coolmore U S Navy Flag Concorde S. over an extended seven-furlong trip. Successful in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac on this weekend last year, the homebred has yet to hit full stride this term but shaped as if a return to her best was imminent when fifth in the Matron last time. There is also pattern-race action at Hoppegarten, with the G1 Longines 130th Grosser Preis von Berlin over a mile and a half somewhat overshadowed on this particular day of action despite its status. Traditionally one of Europe’s weaker top-level contests, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum’s consistent Communique (Ire) (Casamento {Ire}) tries again having finished runner-up to Barney Roy (GB) (Excelebration {Ire}) in the Sept. 13 G1 Grosser Preis von Baden, where the re-opposing Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) was third.

Torquator Tasso was second to Sunday’s Arc protagonist In Swoop (Ire) (Adlerflug {Ger}) in the G1 Deutsches Derby at Hamburg on July 12 and is one of a trio who line up here having contested that Classic alongside Grocer Jack (Ger) (Oasis Dream {GB}), Kaspar (Ger) (Pivotal {GB}) and Dicaprio (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}). Only fifth and below-par when fifth as favourite for the Derby, Stall Wasserfreunde’s triple group scorer Wonderful Moon (Ger) (Sea the Moon {Ger}) returns from his break in the supporting 10-furlong G3 Preis der Deutschen Einheit.

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Dates, Venues Locked Down For Racing League

Six meetings have been designated next summer for the Racing League, Britain’s team contest that will see £1.8-million distributed in prizemoney. As part of the Racing League, 12 teams consisting of two to four trainers, three jockeys and 30 horses will compete in 36 races across the six meetings and accrue points for their finishing positions. Each race in the league will be worth £50,000. The team that has gained the most points at the end of the competition will win the league. The meetings for the Racing League will be at Newcastle on July 29, Doncaster on Aug. 5, Lingfield on Aug. 12, Royal Windsor on Aug. 19, Lingfield on Aug. 26 and Newcastle on Sept. 2.

Among those supporting the concept was jockey Martin Dwyer, who said, “The Racing League has done a great job securing fixtures at Doncaster, Lingfield Park, Newcastle and Royal Windsor. The team element of the competition really excites me and I can’t wait to be part of it.”

Trainer Brian Meehan said, “At a time of extraordinary uncertainty in the sporting world, it’s fantastic news for British horse racing that the Racing League is able to unveil the dates and venues for 2021. The prize money alone is great news for owners, and I’m looking forward to competing in the Racing League and hopefully being part of the winning team.”

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Oasis Dream Filly Tops Challenging Orby Sale

DONCASTER, UK—The weather brightened for the final session of the Goffs Orby Sale but it has to be said that the vibe did not. True, the clearance rate remained at a respectable level, with those vendors who decided to sell continuing to be realistic in their reserves. But there was a high number of withdrawals across the two days, with an extra bunch coming on Thursday morning as Wednesday’s results were digested. This, together with a dearth of international participation compared to normal, and minimal activity from the regular major buyers, led to results that are disappointing set against recent good years, though understandable perhaps in this grim year.

Everything about 2020 is out of the ordinary, and for Goffs, moving Ireland’s flagship yearling sale to Britain was described by Group Chief Executive Henry Beeby as “a monumental decision and one that we did not take lightly.”

He added, “I do not think anyone approached the sale expecting anything other than it to be tough but we salute our vendors for the way they adapted and read the market as evidenced by the 80% clearance rate which, whilst not up to recent years, demonstrates that vendors were pragmatic in their approach and worked with us to deliver the best results in the circumstances. That said, we absolutely recognise that the returns of the last two days have been hard on many vendors and we share their pain as we have always prided ourselves on delivering the best prices for the lots we offer. However, we are all aware of the havoc being wreaked on all walks of life by Covid-19 and the impact on the global economy so it is understandable that there are less orders around for racehorses from buying entities, big and small. Those challenges are, of course, exacerbated by the ongoing issues around prize-money that we read about on a daily basis, whilst there are several significant players from recent editions of the Orby Sale that are not present for one reason or another.”

As indicated, figures contracted significantly. Having converted the previous year’s returns to sterling, turnover was down by 44% at £21,142,000. The average of £67,981 was down by 35% and the median dropped by 18% to £47,000. Of the 474 yearlings catalogued, 389 were offered for sale and 311 of those were sold. The clearance rate for the final day was slightly lower than the sale overall, at 77% from 143 sold, bringing a second-day tally of £9,528,000, average of £66,629 and median of £45,000.

Roundhill’s Gem

Roundhill Stud brought just one yearling to the Goffs Orby Sale and the filly from the farm’s signature family duly ended up as the market leader, selling to Angus Gold on behalf of Shadwell for a sale-topping £450,000.

David Redvers had signalled his interest early for the Oasis Dream (GB) filly (lot 343) but Gold joined in the bidding from outside the ring and was intent on signing up the first foal of Princess De Lune (Ire) (Shamardal) as a future broodmare prospect for the Shadwell operation.

“Sheikh Hamdan said to concentrate on finding some fillies. We had a go on the Green Room filly yesterday, but I loved this filly. She is out of a Shamardal mare who had plenty of ability and she is from a tough-running family,” said Gold.

The Shadwell team has not been as active in the 2020 yearling market as it has been in recent years, but Sheikh Hamdan has been a notable supporter of the Orby Sale in particular and it brings a degree of reassurance to see him engage in the pursuit of some select fillies. The page for this particular yearling is chock-a-block with bold black type.

Princess De Lune won her Newbury maiden with ease for Roger Charlton before suffering a setback which saw her never reclaim that early promising form in three subsequent starts. Her full-siblings are the dual Australian Group 2 winner and promising young Swettenham Stud stallion Puissance De Lune (Ire) and the listed winner and Group 2-placed Queen Power (Ire). Then there is her three-parts brother Zabeel Prince (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), who won the G1 Prix d’Ispahan, and her half-sister Serena’s Storm (Ire) (Statue Of Liberty) is the dam of dual Group 1 winner Rizeena (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}).

“She’s a stunning filly and I hope she will be good for Shadwell,” said Roundhill Stud owner Bobby Donworth. “We did a lot of head-scratching about which sale to put her in but we felt we should support Goffs and this has worked out well. We also have a half-sister to Rizeena and the brother to Zabeel Prince selling next week in Newmarket so it made sense to split them up. Her dam had a huge amount of ability and she should prove to be a good broodmare.”

Donworth added that Princess De Lune lost her foal by Kingman (GB) this year but is now back in foal to Night Of Thunder (Ire).

Channel’s Sister To Haggas

On a morning with a number of late withdrawals, an early highlight was provided by lot 253, a Sea The Stars (Ire) half-sister to G1 Prix de Diane winner Channel (Ire) (Nathaniel {Ire}) who sold to the Tsui family’s Sunderland Holdings for £360,000.

John Clarke conducted the bidding for the filly bred by Pat O’Kelly’s Kilcarn Stud and said afterwards, “Mrs Tsui absolutely loved the pedigree and though she hasn’t seen the filly herself she was very keen to buy her.”

The filly’s dam Love Magic (GB) (Dansili {GB}) is a daughter of the G1 Cheveley Park S. winner Magical Romance (Ire) (Barathea {Ire}) and thus a half-sister to a decent performer by Sea The Stars in Australia in the exported Werribee Cup winner Tall Ship (Ire). The family also includes Magical Romance’s half-sister, the champion 3-year-old Alexandrova (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells), who landed the Oaks, Irish Oaks and Yorkshire Oaks for Aidan O’Brien.

Clarke added that the filly will join William Haggas in Newmarket next year. Her dam has a filly foal by Saxon Warrior (Jpn) and is now in foal to Frankel (GB).

Channel, who was her dam’s second foal, transpired to be one of the real bargains of the 2017 Orby Sale, where she was bought privately by Ghislain Bozo of Meridian International for just €18,000 before being resold at the Arqana Breeze-Up for €70,000.

No Hiding For This Angel

Peter Brant added to his collection of Orby yearlings on Wednesday when agent Demi O’Byrne outbid Richard Ryan for Yeomanstown Stud’s brother to the G3 Princess Margaret S. winner Angel’s Hideaway (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) at £355,000.

The late April colt (lot 438) is the result of the sixth mating with Dark Angel for the Kheleyf mare The Hermitage (Ire), a black-type earning 2-year-old in her racing days who now has three winners to her name, including G2 Mill Reef S. runner-up Perfect Angel (Ire).

“She’s been good to everybody really,” said breeder and consignor David O’Callaghan of the mare bought for 29,000gns as a 3-year-old at the Tattersalls Horses-in-Training Sale. Offered as yearlings at Goffs, three of her previous offspring have fetched €200,000, €390,000 and €440,000, respectively.

O’Callaghan continued, “She’s turned into a bit of an Orby specialist and she has a colt foal by Dark Angel who will be coming next year.”

O’Callaghan admitted that the last two days of trade have been tricky but said, “We bring them to sell and we’ve got most of them sold. We’ve got to keep clearing the decks.”

Value Galileos

For months now there has been talk of this season’s sales being a buyers’ market and, indeed, for those with some money to spend at the higher level with an eye on the future, some lovely broodmare prospects can be found at a much more reasonable rate than usual.

That is certainly the case for lot 311, the Galileo (Ire) three-parts sister to Irish Derby winner Trading Leather (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), who was acquired by Yuesheng Zhang’s Yulong Investments for £185,000.

“With a pedigree like that she is worth that all day long,” was the assessment of agent Michael Donohoe of BBA Ireland. “She’ll go to Jessica Harrington and she may take a little bit of time but she’ll make a lovely broodmare for Mr Zhang, who has mares in Ireland and Australia. He was very keen to support this sale.”

The March-born filly was sold by Manister House Stud on behalf of Coolmore and the same breeder also offered another daughter of Galileo through Baroda Stud (lot 305). The filly is out of the Australian G1 Ascot Vale S winner Nechita (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Ire}) and was bought by Cathy Grassick for £140,000.

Churchill Gets The Nod

The first crop of the dual Guineas winner Churchill (Ire) will take to the track next season and a number of those nascent racehorses found favour with Orby buyers. Thirteen of the Coolmore sire’s 16 horses offered over the last two days were sold at an average of £86,423.

At the head of that list was lot 336, a colt bred by Brian O’Neill and pinhooked last year by Hamish Macauley for €125,000 at the Goffs November Sale. Returned to the ring by Glenvale Stud, the half-brother to Group 3 winner Onenightidreamed (Ire) (Footsetpsinthesand {GB}) was bought for £220,000 by Jamie McCalmont.

Johnny Murtagh, Jessica Harrington, Paddy Twomey and Keith Dalgleish are among the trainers taking charge of Churchill’s Orby graduates, while Peter and Ross Doyle went to £140,000 to buy lot 321, the Kildaragh Stud-bred and -consigned colt out of the listed-placed Orcia (Ire) (Shamardal). The Kavanagh family has raced three generations of the colt’s female family, including his grandam, the French listed winner Amathia (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}), who is a multiple black-type producer.

The National Stud’s freshman sire Time Test (GB) had just one filly at the Orby Sale but she made it to the list of six-figure lots when sold to Daithi Harvey for £100,000 on behalf of Highland Yard. The daughter of Sunny Again (GB) (Shirocco {Ger}) (lot 425) was offered by Mount Coote Stud and is a half-sister to this season’s St Leger runner-up Berkshire Rocco (Fr) (Sir Percy {GB}). She will head back to Ireland to be broken in by Ben Harvey before being trained by Gavin Cromwell.

From No To Yes

Lot 388, the full-brother to champion sprinter and young stallion Ten Sovereigns (No Nay Never), was marked as withdrawn from the sale on Wednesday morning but later appeared among the results as a private sale to Mitsuru Hashida, the trainer of Deirdre (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) who runs in Sunday’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

No Nay Never recorded another Group 1 winner at the weekend when Jeff Smith’s Alcohol Free (GB) landed the Juddmonte Cheveley Park S. and his offspring at the Orby Sale included lot 314, the second foal of the Pivotal (GB) mare Novantae (GB), who sold for £125,000 to David Redvers on behalf of Cornthrop Bloodstock. The filly was consigned by Luke Barry’s Manister House Stud, which bred her in partnership with American agent Gatewood Bell, who bought Novantae for €33,000 at the Goffs November Mares’ Sale. Though only placed in her racing days, the first three dams of the 7-year-old are all black-type winners and her immediate family includes this season’s exciting juvenile Master Of The Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), winner of the G2 Superlative S. for Godolphin.

Sale Transfer Essential

Reflecting on the two days of trade at Goffs’s sister complex in Doncaster, Henry Beeby said, “The Irish National Yearling Sale has long been part of the fabric of Irish life as it is a significant occasion with a rich history and tangible relevance to the bloodstock community as well as the wider Irish public. So to move the Orby Sale to the UK was a monumental decision and one that we did not take lightly. However, we had to take action in what we felt were the best interests of every vendor given the circumstances in which we all find ourselves as so many had entrusted us with many of their best yearlings despite the uncertainty that existed at the time of entry.

“We are, of course, fortunate to have the world’s newest sales complex in the UK and it is a source of some considerable pride that so many newcomers to Doncaster this week have been so complimentary about the facility we built as DBS. It allowed us to showcase the superb yearlings that made up Orby 20 and we repeat our thanks to each vendor for their support. We recognise that the move presented huge logistical issues and extra costs for everyone, and that it caused some debate, but our feeling is that the large crowd of potential purchasers that arrived from Sunday demonstrated the enduring appeal of the Orby Sale as a rich and consistent course of quality.”

He added, “It is plain that Orby 20 is way behind its recent predecessors. Whether that is mirrored elsewhere in the coming weeks remains to be seen but we send our best wishes to everyone selling in Newmarket as this is one interlinked industry whilst we have worked with closely with Tattersalls throughout this crisis as both organisations have done everything in our collective power to provide as near as normal a market place as possible.

“In fact if there is one achievement from this week it is in the staging of a Thoroughbred auction, and we are indebted to many people and entities for their hard work, adaptability and cooperation, not least Doncaster Council who worked with us to find solutions rather than problems. So I want to repeat our sincere thanks to every attendee for their good humoured acceptance of the protocols in place to protect everyone and ensure compliance with the latest Government directives. I know they were irksome, annoying and tiresome but we are grateful that everyone acknowledged their necessity. Let’s hope that Orby 21 is back where it belongs. In Ireland doing what it does best—selling the best for the best to the best.”

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Murphy Tests Positive For Cocaine, Vows Innocence

Champion jockey Oisin Murphy has said he will “fight to clear his name” after it was revealed on Thursday that he had tested positive for metabolites of cocaine at Chantilly on July 19, the card during which he partnered The Lir Jet (Ire) (Prince of Lir {Ire}) to finish second in the G2 Prix Robert Papin. Murphy said he has “never taken cocaine.” If found guilty, he could face a lengthy ban from the saddle; Frankie Dettori was sidelined six months in 2012 after testing positive for cocaine in France-he admitted to using the drug–while Rab Havlin failed a drug test in that country in 2017, resulting in nearly 10 months out of the saddle.

Murphy was informed of the positive on Aug. 19, at which time he organized a hair sample test that came back negative. Those results have been shared with France Galop.

A statement from Murphy read, “I have never taken cocaine in my life and will fight to clear my name. I want to thank those who are supporting me and in the meantime I want to keep riding winners and focus on my career.”

Speaking on Racing TV later on Thursday, Murphy said, “I had to release a statement today as the story had got round, but it is a weight off my shoulders. I’d been riding to the best of my ability and had a great week last week, but something needed to be said today–and I’m pleased it’s out there.

“People will examine every ride now, and if I give one a bad ride, they’ll probably say it’s because of this, but I have a brilliant support team and I am innocent. I think those closest to me believe in my innocence, so I’ve been able to push it out of my head.

“I’ve got to trust in France Galop and try to carry on as normal. A lot of important things are going on in the world at the moment, and this is crucial in my career, but it’s out of my control. I don’t come into contact with drugs, I didn’t ever expect to hear from France Galop, BHA or wherever else I ride around the world. I don’t even take pain killers–I take an inhaler, and that’s about it. I don’t know the next steps. I’ll have to hear back from France Galop, which could take a few weeks. In an ideal world the headlines wouldn’t have come out today– we could have waited until we had a clearer picture–but now we have to wait on the ‘B’ sample.”

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