Timmy Murpy announces retirement from race-riding

Grand National winning jockey Timmy Murphy announced his retirement from the saddle on Tuesday evening at the age of 43.

His decision to retire from race riding was made public after partnering Happy Escape to victory at Chepstow, bringing to an end his three year spell riding on the flat, having made the switch from national hunt racing in 2015.

In total his career covered 26-years from his early days point-to-pointing, right through his time as a professional, where he recorded over 1,000 winners including in some of the sport’s biggest races.

A native of Kildare, Murphy had his first ride between the flags on Snuggledown for George Halford at Gowran Park in an open lightweight.

A first winner would follow the following season, when in May 1993 he partnered the 8/1 shot Gayloire to success in a four-year-old maiden at Kilmuckridge, defeating the eastern champion John Berry aboard the 9/4 favourite Brandy Cross by a short-head.

From that opening success, further winners flowed at a pace, and by the end of the following 1994 season, Murphy had joined Michael Hourigan and was rewarded with a total of 14 winners which saw him take a share of the novice riders title with Kevin O’Sullivan,

1995 would prove to be his final season point-to-pointing and his progress continued at speed. Doubling his 1994 tally of 14, Murphy finished second in the overall national title with 30 winners, second only to Tony Martin that year.

Murphy would go on to become a household racing name when switching to the professional ranks winning the 2018 Aintree Grand National aboard Comply Or Die, in addition to a lucrative partnership with Hourigan’s Beef Or Salmon.

Speaking to AtTheRaces as he revealed his decision to retire from the saddle, Murphy said: “I’m going out on a winner as I’ve had a good innings but I’m not made for the Flat racing game I’m afraid. I’ve had some fantastic memories and I’ve been very lucky to ride for some great people over the years.

“I’ve had a great time but the time to call it a day has come.

“I would like to thank Michael Hourigan and Michael Halford who started it all off in Ireland Paul Nicholls, Jim Old and Martin Pipe, along with some great owners like the late David Johnson.”