Timmy Murphy
DOB: August 20, 1974
Born in Co Kildare - where his father Jimmy managed Newberry Stud - Timmy Murphy rode as an amateur in Ireland for Mick Halford, Noel Chance and Michael Hourigan. His first winner came on Gayloire at Kilmuckridge point-to-point in County Wexford.
Murphy opted to relocate to England upon turning professional and joined Kim Bailey's Upper Lambourn yard in 1996. He had earlier ridden his first winner under Rules in Britain on Quiet Amusement at Uttoxeter on August 29, 1995, and holds the distinction of riding the final jump winner at the now Flat only Nottingham racecourse aboard Dominie on February 29, 1996.
His first Cheltenham Festival success came on the Martin Pipe-trained Terao in the Mildmay Of Flete Handicap Chase in 1997. Murphy rode for Paul Nicholls, for whom he won the 1998 Pillar Property Chase and Rehearsal Chase on See More Business, but lost the ride to Mick Fitzgerald prior to the horse's Cheltenham Gold Cup and King George VI Chase triumphs and was overtaken in the pecking order at Paul Nicholls' Ditcheat stable in November, 1998, when Joe Tizzard was appointed first jockey.
He returned to Nicholls in May, 2001, this time overtaking Tizzard as the stable's main jockey. He had a great ride on the Mark Pitman-trained Smarty when second in the 2001 John Smith's Grand National, however, behind the scenes Murphy was battling with alcoholism and, in July, 2002, he was sentenced to six months in prison for assaulting an air stewardess.
Released in October, 2002, he returned to the saddle and rode his first winner back on Santenay in the Elite Hurdle at Wincanton on November 9, of that year. He has since enjoyed an upturn in fortunes.
Following the departure of Tony McCoy from Martin Pipe's stable, Murphy became the retained rider for the stable's leading owner David Johnson in the summer of 2004, and their successes have included Celestial Gold in the 2006 totesport Bowl at Aintree. He won that race again in 2008 aboard Our Vic, famously defeating the great Kauto Star in the process. Murphy’s other successes aboard Our Vic in clude the Paddy Power Gold Cup and the Ryanair Chase.
He also partnered the Michael Ryan-owned Al Eile to victory in the Scottish & Newcastle Aintree Hurdle in 2005, 2007 and 2008. Murphy’s critically-acclaimed biography ‘Ride The Storm’ was published in 2006. Timmy Murphy fulfilled a lifelong ambition at Aintree in 2008 when he partnered Comply Or Die to victory in the John Smith’s Grand National.
Cheltenham Festival wins (8):
Byrne: 1997 Terao, 2004 Tikram
Vincent O’Brien County: 1999 Sir Talbot, 2005 Fontanesi
Pertemps Final: 2004 Creon
Irish Independent Arkle: 2005 Contraband
Ryanair: 2008 Our Vic
Jewson: 2009 Chapoturgeon
