Murtagh, Johnny

Career highs are his three victories in the Epsom Derby on Sinndar (2000), High Chaparral (2002) and Motivator (2005). 

One of his his best seasons was in 2000 when Sinndar's Epsom win was followed by a nine-length romp in the Irish equivalent. The colt went on to land the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on a day that saw Murtagh achieve a unique treble of Group 1 wins with Namid (Prix de l'Abbaye) and Petrushka (Prix Diane). A fortnight later he landed another Group 1 success on Kalanisi in the Dubai Champion Stakes, followed by Dilshaan's victory in the Racing Post Trophy and another Grade 1 win on Kalanisi in the Breeders' Cup Turf - his 12th Group 1 win of a remarkable season.

Johnny gained a second win in the Irish Derby on Alamshar and his first in the King George V1 and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes on the same colt in 2003. A hat-trick of King Georges was secured on the Aidan O'Brien-trained pair Dylan Thomas (2007) and Duke Of Marmalade (2008), followed be a fourth on Novellist (2013).

He hit the international big time in 1995 with the success of Ridgewood Pearl in the Breeders' Cup Mile at Belmont Park. That season proved another remarkable one with the filly also landing Royal Ascot's Coronation Stakes and the Emirates Prix du Moulin de Longchamp. It was ample compensation for his earlier decision to remain loyal to Oxx's main patron, the Aga Khan (owner of Sinndar),  when giving up the winning ride in the Irish 1,000 Guineas on Mrs Anne Coughlan's filly to partner Khaytada.

He rode his first Irish 2,000 Guineas winner in 2001 on the Aidan O'Brien-trained Black Minnaloushe, who went on to give him victory in the St James's Palace Stakes.

The Irish Oaks has proved a happy hunting ground with back-to-back wins on Ebadiyla (1997) and Winona (1998) and more glory was to follow in that Classic on Petrushka (2000) - who went on to land the Yorkshire Oaks - Peeping Fawn (2007), Moonstone (2008) and Chicquita (2013). And he added a first Oaks to his list of Epsom achievements with a masterful front-running ride aboard the William Haggas-trained Dancing Rain in 2011. 

A French Oaks victory followed the following season on Valyra.

 Other career highlights were his five victories in Royal Ascot's Gold Cup on Enzeli (1999), Royal Rebel (2001 and 2002) and Yeats (2008 and 2009) and his first British 2,000 Guineas on Rock Of Gibraltar (2002). 

 A fruitful partnership with the filly Timarida also yielded four big successes (Prix de l'Opera 1995; E P Taylor Stakes 1995; Irish Champion Stakes 1996; Beverly D Stakes  1996 and the Grosser Dallmayr Preis-Bayerisches Zuchtrennen 1996). His association with trainer James Fanshawe also produced some notable successes with the outstanding mare Soviet Song.

 Rode his first Group One winner on Manntari in the 1993 National Stakes, a race he also secured on Sinndar (1999).

 Finished leading jockey at Royal Ascot 2001, 2002, 2008, 2009 and 2013 where his career total is 38 (including 4 Group 1 victories in 2008 on Haradasun, Henrythenavigator, Duke Of Marmalade and Yeats).

 Is the first to acknowledge the important role Oxx and the Aga Khan played when his battle against spiralling weight and alcohol addiction threatened to end his career in the early 90s, but relinquished his cherished job with the Currabeg trainer in November 2003. 

 Embarked on a spell riding over hurdles in 2005 to maintain his fitness and weight levels and enjoyed his first success over the sticks on Game Ball Ali at Punchestown (2005).

 Was appointed as number one rider to Aidan O'Brien and the Coolmore operation in January 2008 and the partnership got off to a flying start when Henrythenavigator (pictured above returning in triumph at Newmarket) romped to victory in both the 2008 English and Irish 2,000 Guineas as well as the James's Palace Stakes and Sussex Stakes. Bushranger's (trained by David Wachman) success in that season's Shadwell Middle Park Stakes was his 19th Group 1 victory of a phenomenal season, which ended with 21 Group 1 wins (see factfile below).

 Completed a rare Irish Classic double the following season on Mastercraftsman (2,000 Guineas) and Again (1,000 Guineas), becoming only the third rider - and the first since Joe Canty in 1946 - to do so. Martin Quirke achieved the same feat in 1929. Landed three out of three Irish Classics in 2009 when Fame And Glory ran out a wide-margin winner of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby. Claimed his fourth success in Ireland's premier Classic on Cape Blanco (2010) and then completed a nap hand in domestic Classics when dead-heating on Jukebox Jury in the 2011 St Leger. The victory also put him on the same Classic total, 14, as old rival Michael Kinane, and he passed that total in 2013 on Chicquita in the Irish Oaks. That season saw him land 5 Group 1 successes, including the King George V1 and Queen Elizabeth Stakes on Novellist.

 Sensationally announced he would no longer ride as stable jockey to Coolmore and O'Brien on November 8th, 2010. However, ended the partnership on a high when riding Recital to victory in the Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud. Began training from his Curragh stables, as well as riding, in 2013 and saddled his first winner, Benbecula (ridden by Ben Curtis), at Tramore on June 1st, 2013. Steered his own Royal Diamond to victory in the Quipco British Champions Long Distance Cup at Ascot on October 19th, 2013, describing the training feat as the best day of his life.

 Announced his retirement from race-riding on February 25th, 2014.

MURTAGH FACTFILE

Name: Murtagh, John Patrick 

Born: May 14, 1970.

First  winner: Chicago Style, Limerick, July 6, 1987. 

Irish Classic wins (15): Derby (2000 Sinndar, 2003 Alamshar; 2009 Fame And Glory; 2010 Cape Blanco); Oaks (1997 Ebadiyla, 1998 Winona, 2000 Petrushka, 2007 Peeping Fawn; 2008 Moonstone; Chicquita 2013); 2,000 Guineas (2001 Black Minnaloushe, 2008 Henrythenavigator; 2009 Mastercraftsman); 1,000 Guineas (2009 Again); St Leger (2011 Jukebox Jury). 

British Classic wins (6): Derby (2000 Sinndar, 2002 High Chaparral, 2005 Motivator), 2,000 Guineas (2002 Rock Of Gibraltar and 2008 Henrythenavigator), Oaks(2011 Dancing Rain). 

French Classic wins (2): Yeats (2008 St Leger, Prix Royal-Oak); Valyra (2012 French Oaks, Prix de Diane).

Breeders' Cup wins (3): Ridgewood Pearl (1995 Breeders' Cup Mile); Kalanisi (2000 Breeders' Turf); Man Of Iron (2009 Breeders' Cup Marathon).

King George V1 and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes wins (4): Alamshar (2003); Dylan Thomas (2007); Duke Of Marmalade (2008); Novellist (2013).

Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe win: Sinndar (2000).

Murtagh's 21 Group 1 winners in 2008: English 2,000 Guineas (Henrythenavigator); Irish 2,000 Guineas (Henrythenavigator); Irish Oaks (Moonstone); St James's Palace Stakes (Henrythenavigator); National Stakes (Mastercraftsman); Prix Morny (Bushranger); Juddmonte International (Duke Of Marmalade); Shadwell Middle Park Stakes (Bushranger); Tattersalls Gold Cup (Duke Of Marmalade); Nassau Stakes (Halway To Heaven); King George V1 and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes (Duke Of Marmalade); Eclipse Stakes (Mount Nelson); Ascot Gold Cup (Yeats); Prince of Wales Stakes (Duke Of Marmalade); Queen Anne Stakes (Haradsun); Prix Ganay (Duke Of Marmalade); Sussex Stakes (Henrythenavigator); Phoenix Stakes (Mastercraftsman); Coronation Cup (Soldier Of Fortune); Yeats (Prix Royal-Oak); Fame And Glory (Criterium de Saint-Cloud).

Other notable Group 1 wins: National Stakes (1993 Manntari), Opera (1995 Timarida), Moulin de Longchamp (1995 Ridgewood Pearl), Matron Stakes (1995 Timarida), Coronation Stakes (1995 Ridgewood Pearl), Yorkshire Oaks (1996 Key Change), Irish Champion Stakes (1996 Timarida), Beverly D Stakes (1996 Timarida), Bayerisches Zuchtrennen (1996 Timarida), Moyglare Stud Stakes (1998 Ebadilya), National Stakes (1999 Sinndar), Gold Cup (1999 Enzeli), Yorkshire Oaks (2000 Petrushka), Racing Post Trophy (2000 Dilshaan), Opera (2000 Petrushka), Hong Kong Vase (2000 Daliapour), Champion Stakes (2000 Kalanisi), Breeders' Cup Turf (2000 Kalanisi), Bayerisches Zuchtrennen (2000 Greek Dance), Abbaye (2000 Namid), St James's Palace Stakes (2001 Black Minnaloushe), Gold Cup (2001 Royal Rebel), E P Taylor Stakes (2001 Choc Ice), Gold Cup (2002 Royal Rebel), Cadran (2002 Give Notice), Golden Jubilee (2003 Choisir), BGC Sussex Stakes (2004 Soviet Song), Matron Stakes (2004 Soviet Song), July Cup (2004 Frizzante), Falmouth Stakes (2004 Soviet Song), Falmouth Stakes (2005 Soviet Song), Yorkshire Oaks (2007 Peeping Fawn), Vermeille (2007 Mrs Lindsay), Nassau Stakes (2007 Peeping Fawn), Tattersalls Gold Cup (2007 Notnowcato), Golden Jubilee (2007 Soldier's Tale), Falmouth Stakes (2007 Simply Perfect), Fillies Mile (2007 Listen), St Jame's Palace Stakes (2009 Mastercraftsman); Gold Cup (2009 Yeats); BGC Sussex Stakes (2009 Rip Van Winkle); Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp (2009 Total Gallery); Racing Post Trophy (2009 St Nicholas Abbey); Fame And Glory (2010 Tattersalls Gold Cup); Fame And Glory (2010 Coronation Cup); Lillie Langtry (2010 Coronation Stakes); Starspangledbanner (2010 Golden Jubilee Stakes); Starspangledbanner (2010 July Cup); Lillie Langtry (2010 Matron Stakes); Misty For Me (2010 Prix Marcel Boussac); Roderic O'Connor (2010 Criterium International); Recital (2010 Criterium de Saint-Cloud); Lightening Pearl (2011 Cheveley Park Stakes); Rhosdu Queen (2012 Cheveley Park Stakes); Sole Power (2013 King's Stand Stakes); Ambivalent (2013 Pretty Polly Stakes); Gordon Lord Byron (2013 Betfred Sprint Cup).

Champion Irish apprentice: 1989.

Champion jockey in Ireland (5): 1995, 1996, 1998, 2009 and 2011.

First winner as a trainer: Benbecula, June 1st,2013, Tramore.