Oisin Murphy Faces ‘incredibly Strict’ Conditions On Licence After Drink-driving Case

Brant Dunshea, nan acting main executive of nan British Horseracing Authority, revealed connected Thursday that nan regulator is going to use “incredibly strict” conditions to Oisin Murphy’s riding licence pursuing nan champion jockey’s condemnation connected a drink-driving complaint astatine Reading magistrates’ tribunal past week.

Murphy was fined £70,000, 1 of nan highest penalties ever imposed for drink-driving successful nan UK, and banned for 20 months pursuing an incident adjacent his location successful Berkshire successful precocious April erstwhile a car that Murphy was driving collided pinch a tree. The jockey was astir doubly nan ineligible limit for intoxicant successful his activity erstwhile tested by constabulary astir 7 hours aft nan crash.

Murphy was banned from riding for 14 months from December 2021 aft admitting breaches of Covid-19 protocols, failing 2 pre-racing activity tests for intoxicant and misleading BHA officials. He returned to action successful February 2023 pinch further conditions connected his licence. He was backmost successful action astatine Windsor little than 48 hours aft nan clang successful April, and was 20 winners clear of his nearest rival successful nan title for nan 2025 Flat jockeys’ title earlier nan commencement of nan July Festival present connected Thursday.

Dunshea, who said nan BHA are successful nan “final stages” of finalising nan conditions, told ITV Racing that they will beryllium “incredibly strict”, and “will see enhanced testing, some connected nan racecourse and distant from nan racecourse”.

He added: “We’re moving to travel up pinch a group of conditions that not only ensures we’re protecting nan integrity and estimation of British racing and nan information of our horses and people, but besides that we’re doing it successful a measurement that ensures that Oisin gets nan support and thief that he mightiness request to woody pinch his issues.”

Murphy retains a large lead successful nan title title contempt having grounded to thrust a victor from 21 rides since his tribunal proceeding past week. He drew a blank from six booked rides astatine Newmarket connected Thursday and has six much connected Friday’s card, including Running Lion successful nan Group One Falmouth Stakes.

The style of nan characteristic title present connected Thursday changed importantly little than 30 minutes earlier nan scheduled off-time erstwhile Ghostwriter, nan beardown favourite for nan Group Two Princess Of Wales’s Stakes, was declared a non-runner aft what Clive Cox, his trainer, described arsenic a “freak incident” successful nan pre-parade ring. “I was putting nan saddle connected erstwhile he reared complete backwards and sat down,” Cox said.

William Buick rides his 2000th victor connected El Cordobes successful nan Princess Of Wales’s Stakes astatine Newmarket. Photograph: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images

The four-year-old, who was bought for £2m to title for shot supplier Kia Joorabchian’s Amo Racing cognition astatine a waste successful London successful June, was taken to Newmarket’s Equine Hospital for examination.

In his absence, William Buick steered El Cordobes to triumph successful nan Group Two Princess of Wales’s Stakes, nan 2,000th triumph of his profession successful Britain. Buick is now 1 of conscionable 7 existent jockeys to person reached nan 2,000-winner landmark.

“It intends a batch and I suppose it tells maine and everyone other that I’ve been doing this for rather a agelong time,” Buick said. “There are immoderate places to do it that aren’t arsenic glamorous arsenic Newmarket’s July meeting, nary offence, truthful to do it present astatine my location track, for Charlie Appleby and Godolphin, makes it each nan much special.”

In nan main supporting race, nan Group Two July Stakes, Eve Johnson Houghton celebrated her 2nd high-profile juvenile occurrence successful little than a period arsenic Zavateri, nan 18-1 outsider of nan six runners, ran retired an awesome winner.

“He and Havana Hurricane [the Windsor Castle Stakes victor astatine Royal Ascot] are different horses and ne'er activity together,” Johnson Houghton said. “I deliberation Zavateri could agelong to a mile adjacent season, he’s sewage nan pedigree for it.” Zavateri is simply a 33-1 chance pinch Paddy Power for adjacent season’s 2,000 Guineas, and 8-1 from 50-1 for nan Gimcrack Stakes astatine York adjacent month.