The rich purple patch that rider Luke Murphy has been enjoying since the return of point-to-pointing last month has continued into this weekend, with the second part of a Dromahane double on Sunday seeing him register his 50th success in the point-to-point fields.
It was his chief support Denis Murphy that provided the Wexford native with both of his success at the Co. Cork venue, with the French-bred newcomer Happy D’Ex kickstarting proceedings in the ITBA four-year-old mares’ maiden, as the pair recorded a comprehensive 15-length success in the three-runner race.
That had been a 49th success between the flags for the 24-year-old and swiftly brought up his career milestone when guiding Sharp Shadow to land the Dairygold, Pegus Horse Feeds & Highfort Stud five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden.
Taking up the advantage at the penultimate obstacle, the Fame And Glory mare, who like Murphy’s earlier winner was also make her debut, held on to defeat recent Cork-sixth Holly Hartingo by three parts of a length.
This latest double is his third week in a row to ride two winners on a single card and follows similar feats at Fairyhouse over consecutive weekends late last month, with one his winners at the Co. Meath venue being one of his families own horses Tricklalight, trained by his father John.
It was on one of his families homebred’s Bloodstream that he recorded his first ever success at Boulta in New Year’s Day in 2017 and since then he has risen quite swiftly through the ranks with the 2018/19 campaign seeing him ride 21 winners between the flags and saw him end the season in fifth place on the national leaderboard.
Seven winners in recent weeks since the restart has seen him as the big mover on jockey’s leaderboard with his tally of nine victories for this season leaving in seventh place.
Jockey Luke Murphy has really hit the ground running of late and his seventh winner since the return of point-to-points at Dromahane today has brought the 24-year-old his career milestone 5⃣0⃣th winner between the flags.
— p2p.ie (@irishp2p) May 2, 2021
Well done Luke! � pic.twitter.com/6ylny52oIu
