Denis Murphy

Denis Murphy

Article by Alan Trout

Denis John Murphy’s career, which saw him ride nine winners over jumps, began with an unplaced effort on Precipitous in the Hallfield Novices’ Hurdle (Division 1) at Wetherby on October 9, 1948.  

More than a year passed before he had his first success, which came at Market Rasen on December 27, 1949, when Chrysantheme, owned and trained by David Brown at Meltham, near Huddersfield, won the Walesby Novices’ Hurdle, beating Spurned by four lengths.

That was the only win that Denis had until he won three more races on Chrysantheme in the space of three weeks in May 1951. There was another gap before he rode three winners in the 1952/53 season. He won three races on selling chaser Strongbow, including consecutive renewals of the Risby Selling Chase at Market Rasen in 1953 and 1954. 

His last victory was on Frenchy, owned and trained by Derbyshire-based permit holder Martin Cowley, in the Oxton Handicap Hurdle, a race for novice riders, at Southwell on October 11, 1954. Nearly 18 months later he had his final ride when Frenchy was unplaced in the Hardwick Selling Handicap Hurdle at Southwell on March 31, 1956. 

Denis Murphy’s winners were, in chronological order:

1. Chrysantheme, Market Rasen, December 27, 1949

2. Chrysantheme, Market Rasen, May 5, 1951

3. Chrysantheme, Sedgefield, May 19, 1951

4. Chrysantheme, Stratford-on-Avon, May 26, 1951

5. Upwind, Southwell, December 22, 1952

6. Strongbow, Market Rasen, March 7, 1953

7. Strongbow, Uttoxeter, March 21, 1953

8. Strongbow, Market Rasen, March 6, 1954

9. Frenchy, Southwell, October 11, 1954