Johnny Murtagh

DUBAI – In 2008 Irishman Johnny Murtagh rode an astonishing 19 Group 1 winners. He’s only 38 years of age and his career tally of 61 Group 1s around the globe already puts him in the league of a select few.

There are experts in the racing world who believe that Murtagh  has assumed the mantle of the world’s best jockey. Others see it as a tussle between him and Frenchman Christophe Soumillon. Others yet don’t believe one can speak of a “world’s best’’ – there are too many varying factors that makes comparing jockeys riding in different parts of the world similar to comparing apples with pears. But if asked for possible candidates you can bet your last penny that the name Johnny Murtagh will pass all the experts’ lips!

It’s Tuesday morning, 24 March, 2009 and Murtagh has just flown into Dubai from his home near The Curragh in Ireland. He will assist Mike de Kock, Kevin Shea and the rest of the Grandstand Team in putting the finishing touches to his World Cup mount Asiatic Boy and others.

At 6am the humidity here is similar to that of Durban in mid-summer and a typical Irish expletive rings across a ring where De Kock’s horses are warming up. “Fookin’ hell, it’s warm here. I was freezing me arse off in Ireland!’’

The quip results in a few chuckles around the fenced paddock. The chuckles become laughs as Murtagh lets rip with a few more pearlers and Shea, in response, throws a chirp or two into the mix too.

The horses walk to the track proper at Nad Al Sheba, gallop in pairs and pull up in the back straight, where they circle many times around their trainer, himself dressed in shorts and a T-shirt. They give individual feedback and then several more wisecracks follow, most eminating from the Irishman seated on Dubai Sheema Classic contender King Of Rome.

Members of the press are drawn to De Kock’s circling horses. They start arriving as if from nowhere and their cameras zeek-zeek-zeek non-stop until De Kock signals for his string to return to the stable complex.

Finally there is a chance to corner the three-times Irish Champion Jockey for a few words and there is no clowning around now as he speaks openly about his life and his rise to near the top of the world jockeys’ ranks.

He played Gaelic football and was a top junior boxer as a youngster, growing up near rural County Meath. When a spectator pointed out that with young Johnny’s courage, agility and good balance he would probably make a good jockey, his parents enrolled him at the school for apprentices in County Kildare and he recalls:  “I cannot say that I was born to be a jockey. I had to acquire the skills. I was assigned to top trainer John Oxx, purely by chance. He was a good taskmaster who gave me a break. But above all I had the will to win. That is perhaps more important than anything else. I believe that even moderate riders can greatly improve their success with a bit of fine-tuning of the mind, by getting hungry.’’

At 17 Murtagh rode his first winner at Limerick, Ireland. At 19 he was champion apprentice and at 22 he became stable jockey to the powerful Oxx stable, a partnership that early on yielded his first Group success aboard Ridgewood Pearl in 1995.

He excels on the big occasion, having won many of the world’s most prestigious races. His haul includes – in Ireland: two 2000 Guineas, two Irish Derbys, five Irish Oaks, two Tattersalls Gold Cups and an Irish Champions’ Stakes; in England: two 2000 Guineas, three Epsom Derbys, three Yorkshire Oaks, four Ascot Gold Cups, three King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes and a Champions’ Stakes and internationally: wins in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Breeders’ Cup Turf, Breeders’ Cup Mile and Hong Kong Vase.

He is a jockey to follow, particularly at Royal Ascot where he has scored at least once in all of the Group 1 races staged there, including the Ascot Gold Cup (four times), Prince of Wales Stakes, Queen Ann Stakes (twice), St James Palace Stakes (twice), Coronation Stakes, King’s Stand Stakes and the Golden Jubilee Stakes (three times).

He also holds the honour of having ridden three Group 1 winners on Arc D’Triomphe day in October 2000, including Oxx’s Sinndar, the winner of France’s premier event.

“I would guess Sinndar and perhaps High Chaparral would be the best horses I have ridden, but I can’t single out a specific win as my best. Every Group winner is extraordinarily special, it’s a feeling second to none especially of you had to fight hard or outwitted your rivals in the race. Last year I had nice wins on Duke Of Marmalad, there was a stage during the season when he was in phenomenal form and nothing would have beaten him. I enjoyed riding him. I live for every new winner, it’s my extreme passion!’’

It is documented that Murtagh fought a battle with alcoholism as a young jockey and he recounts: “Many jockeys have fallen prey to this. I was riding for John Oxx, made loads of money and had the world at my feet. So I partied hard, but it started telling and at 22, I had my first treatment for alcohol addiction.’’

Was it that bad? Surely a jock is entitled to celebratory drinks?

He answers:  “Where does alcoholism start and where does it end? One tot of booze was not enough for me, nor was 100 tots. But thank God I always kept my ambition. I knew that to be the best I had to conquer alcohol.

“Initially I thought I had the drinks under control, but I slipped back slowly and in 2001 had to have another introspective look at the situation. I rode 12 Group 1 winners in 2000, only three in 2001. Some stark realisations came to me. I didn’t want to be sitting broken in a pub at the age of 50 telling everyone what could have been, how good I was but how I never achieved what I wanted. So I took responsibility for my life and I’ve been without a drink now for more than seven years.’’

Murtagh stresses: “I’d like to bring this to everyone’s attention. One can only develop as an individual once you take responsibility for your actions. The day I stopped blaming others for my problems, my life changed for the good. I saw the positive results immediately.’’

Indeed life has become a journey of constant self-improvement and Murtagh tells:  “I am never 100% happy with my riding. In racing, if you don’t strive to improve every day, the others will catch up with you. In my younger days I spent time in America studying Gary Stevens and Steve Cauthen, in Australia I was fond of Mick Dittman. In Ireland, of course, I looked up to and today still admire the great Michael Kinane. I tweaked my style all along and I still need to make adjustments to stay ahead of the pack.’’

He admires his boss Aidan O’Brien of Ballydoyle, whom he calls “a genius and a great trainer’’. Despite Kieren Fallon’s imminent return, Murtagh has been signed up for another season with Ballydoyle.

Of Mike de Kock he says: “Mike is a top-class horseman and I am appreciative for he chances he has given me. His horses are like him, solid, competitive and with no bullshit. I firmly believe horses take on the personality of their trainer. A happy stable atmosphere makes for happy horses.’’

Is there anything left to achieve?

“I’d like to win the Melbourne Cup, the Breeders’ Cup, the Kentucky Derby, the famous ones I haven’t won yet,’’ he reveals.

He ponders when asked what his ultimate aim would be as a rider.

“Let me tell you, I think my ultimate aim is to be a great ambassador for racing. I would like to do all I can to raise the profile of horseracing around the world. We have dwindling attendances in Ireland – like I understand you have in South Africa. We need think-tanks to nurture the love of people for racing. Racing has a great following within racing circles, but what about the future? We don’t have much new blood coming into the sport!’’

He concludes: ”It is also important for me to treat all people with respect, especially my supporters. It takes nothing to be friendly, to greet someone and to have a chat when it is possible. I am no better than the next human being. We are participants in an industry we love greatly and we must stand together for its survival.’’

By Charl Pretorius, Dubai- March 2009.

For more profiles, go to http://www.amazon.com/Legends-Turf-Profiles-African-Horseracing/dp/1456462776/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1310588141&sr=8-2