Champion jockey Oisin Murphy on racing and the bigger picture

By now, the 24-year-old would – in normal times – be schooling future stars, like Kameko, ahead of the Classic trials due to have begun at Newmarket today.

And Murphy would have been increasing the intensity of his rides ahead of his title defence after becoming champion jockey last year.

Yet, while Murphy spent the winter harbouring dreams of a first domestic Classic on Kameko who was a runaway winner of the rearranged Vertem Futurity Trophy, the final Group One of 2019, he, and the rest of racing, is in limbo over the coronavirus pandemic.

However he’s not after sympathy as he wonders what might have been – or when the horse, trained by his friend and mentor Andrew Balding, can make it onto the racetrack.

“I hope I will win a Classic one day, but I don’t really feel sorry for myself. We’re all in it together,” he told The Yorkshire Post.

“Right now, I feel for all the people in towns and cities who do not have access in the countryside. We would all like to be racing but public health and safety is paramount.”

For Murphy, this means becoming a devotee of the Base PT fitness app and doing stretching exercises every day to stay supple. He’s also never walked so far in his life.

As an ambassador to the Racing to School charity, he’s also using his influence, as champion jockey, to encourage children to do their school work at home.

And he’s supportive of efforts being undertaken by the British Horseracing Authority to resume racing – hence why he’s not attempting to influence their endeavours.

He’s acutely aware that difficult decisions will have to be taken about the fixture list – and whether the five Classics, which were due to begin with the 2000 Guineas on May 2, are pushed back.

Already resigned to Flat racing not resuming on May 1 as planned, Murphy is open to premier all-weather tracks, like Newcastle and Kempton, being used for major races later in the year so Kameko and the Classic generation can prove their class.

Victorious on his debut at Sandown, the colt – owned by Qatar Racing – was runner-up in two graded races before landing the Futurity when it was switched to Newcastle, and run on the Tapeta all-weather surface, after Doncaster’s turf track was left waterlogged.

In a year that culminated with the globetrotting Murphy landing the Japan Cup, one of the richest races in the world, on Suave Dancer, the commanding manner of Kameko’s victory was one of many highlights in 2019 for the rider. Like the ill-fated colic victim Roaring Lion who carried Murphy to four Group One victories in 2018, including York’s Juddmonte International and Ascot’s Qipco Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, Kameko is sired by Kitten’s Joy.

“The lads at Andrew’s yard tell me that he looks superb,” said Murphy who cancelled rides at the Breeders’ Cup meeting in the USA to go to Newcastle. “He did shock me at Newcastle, to be honest.

“He improved so much with racing last year. He wasn’t impressive when he broke his maiden. He ran in decent races and got beat twice and then he was electric at Newcastle.

“Andrew was confident. He relaxed super but I never expected him to pick up and go clear of a very good field.

“Newcastle is a stiff track, they want a solid pace, and he will definitely stay 10 furlongs. He’s learning all the time. He’s still quite babyish but that’s a Kitten’s Joy trait.

“The most exciting thing about that type of horse is that they tend to improve. He earned his rating as one of the best two-year-olds in Europe and it would be lovely to see which are the best Classic horses of 2020.

“If that means running these races later in the winter, it would be fantastic so the public could see the best horses race against each other – even late on and on different tracks.”

But the timing – just like Oisin Murphy in full cry in the final strides of a big race – must be right. “Public health comes first,” he adds.

“Stay safe, and if there are people around you who need help with their shopping, or collecting a prescription from the pharmacy, please help them if you can. That’s far more important right now.”