MOVING ALONG: OISIN MURPHY, HERO OR VILLIAN?

By Graham Potter | Wednesday, August 5, 2026

Here are a couple of questions for you. Is it acceptable for some jockeys in a race protest hearing in the steward’s room to, at times, to provide arguably dubious evidence seemingly not in line with the facts presented in the race replay video in order to try and sway the decision in their favour? If so, would you go so far as to say that, in fact, they are obliged to do whatever they can to win the race in those circumstances for their horse’s connections?

These questions were front and centre at Glorious Goodwood last week, after champion jockey Osin Murphy took an alternative and, to many, a surprising stance at a steward’s inquiry, which few, if any, have taken before him and which sparked a response which has divided opinion.

HRO’s Graham Potter takes us through that story in his personal blog ... Moving Along ... and gives an opinion of his own on what transpired. What is your view?

Champion jockey Oisin Murphy made headlines during last week’s Glorious Goodwood Carnival, not so much for any ride, but for the stance he took in a protest hearing … a position he has reiterated in interviews several times since then, in spite of being the target of much criticism to the point where one outlet labelled his behaviour as a disgrace … when actually a case can be made that it was quite the opposite.

You have got to wonder what it says about racing when someone is honest in a steward’s inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the outcome of a race and his behaviour is put to the sword.

Have we just become so accustomed to jockeys putting forward exaggerating, or even invented, views of what actually happened in the race in order to get their desired result out of the hearing, no matter if they their words represent fact or fiction, that, what should be seen as a breath of fresh air pushing against that norm of murkiness, is rejected, by some, as a disgrace?

Throwing everything you have at securing a victory, justifiably earned or not, is the way the game is played you may say … but that doesn’t make it right.

As an example, one jockey will say it was a slight brush between runners. The other jockey in the same incident will say it was a heavy bump. They can’t both be right … so was one of them merely mistaken, or was a jockey lying?

At the Goodwood steward’s inquiry cut through all of that nonsense.

The inquiry was into the concluding stages of the race won by Infraad, ridden by Tom Marquand, who held Oisin Murphy’s mount Hatteen by a head at the line, after the winner had drifted out over the final 110m.

Speaking quietly … putting forward his view matter-of-factly … Murphy stated: “We never made contact. I didn't know Tom's horse had shifted until quite close to the line. I can't for any certainty say I would have won if Tom's horse hadn't shifted out."

Stewards concurred with that truthful assessment and the result stood as past the post.

But perhaps the most telling comment that Murphy made was in response to the subsequent criticism he has had to endure for his honesty.

“I don’t believe I should have lied,” said Murphy.

That really says it all, although, talking to At The Races after the fact, Murphy gave a detailed explanation of what had occurred, in his view, and how he would not have been happy pushing for anything else by embellishing his story.

“As I have already stated, I felt my horse had every chance,” said Murphy. “Let’s just say if they both had stayed in a straight line, do I think I would have won? No.

“Towards the line I did notice that we had drifted slightly off a line, but I didn’t feel any interference. There was no contact. My horse was tired and moved of his own accord. He was all out. He (Infraad) out-battled me.

“Of course, I wanted to win … and I’m chasing a championship, whatever … but I can’t throw my toys out of the cot and say I should have won the race. It is up to me to win the race.

“I wish I had won but I didn’t think we deserved to win the race in those circumstances. We had every chance.

“When I looked at it on balance, before I opened my mouth (in the steward’s room) I thought if I go for this and say it definitely cost me the win … which I didn’t believe … and they called the race in my favour, how would that sit with me.

“It would be like diving in a football match.”

Are other jockey’s now likely to follow Murphy’s lead?

Unlikely, so we can expect to largely be left with a familiar scenario in a protest hearing where ‘the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth,’ is seldom in play.

This is because of the bizarre nature of the beast … what has almost always been a cut and thrust exchange between two parties pushing opposing views as hard as they can in an attempt to secure a favourable outcome for themselves.

At the end of the day in is incumbent on the stewards to separate the "weed from the chaff" and reach either a ‘upheld’ or ‘dismissed’ ruling ... with the ever present fallout being that, whatever they decide, a good percentage of punters who were on the horse that did not get the nod will be aggrieved.

They must wish there are more Oisin Murphy’s around!

I'm with Murphy.

In the words of singer / songwriter Rick Nelson, 'You can't please everyone, so you gotta please yourself'.

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