Champion jockey Oisin Murphy rides winner on his return from 14-month ban for booze and Covid-19 breaches

OISIN MURPHY made a winning return from a 14-month suspension at Chelmsford on Thursday night.

The former champion jockey steered the 15-8 favourite Jupiter Express to a narrow win in the six-furlong handicap.

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Oisin Murphy won on Jupiter Express on his return from a ban[/caption]

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There had been plenty of media attention ahead of Murphy’s return[/caption]

It was Murphy’s first ride since November 2021 after he was given a huge suspension.

Murphy, 27, was banned last February for failing two breathalyser tests and breaching Covid rules.

He lied to officials about his holiday to Mykonos, which was a red-list country at the time, and resumed race-riding without taking a coronavirus test.

He has pledged to clean up his act and his licence was approved by the BHA, but he will have to complete regular drug and alcohol testing.

And he showed that his talent in the saddle remains intact with an all-out drive on Jupiter Express, who won by half a length.

Murphy said: “It’s fantastic, it’s been a long time but it’s brilliant to be back on the racecourse and ride a winner.

“I’m quite fit and I really enjoyed that, even the banter in the weighing room. Kieran O’Neill has been very entertaining since I arrived.

“Sharpness wise, I’m going to have to keep thinking about racing all the time and hopefully that instinct will come back quickly.

“It was quite a long time [away from the racecourse], particularly to find new jobs and tasks to get through the day. Obviously you ride out, but that only kills a few hours.

“I got into a routine of focusing on my showjumpers and I really enjoyed going to some big showjumping competitions.

“Realistically it was very silly and I made many, many errors that I wish I hadn’t done.

“I was given a period time to think about that and come back with a different mindset, hopefully over the next year and the following years I can prove the person I’d like to be.”

The jockey is due in Qatar at the weekend to ride Flaming Rib for Hugo Palmer with trips to Dubai and Saudi Arabia also pencilled in over the next few weeks.

Coral make Murphy 15-8 for a fourth champion jockey title behind last year’s winner William Buick, who is their 1-2 favourite.

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