Bellum Justum halved in price for the Derby after Andrew Balding’s colt won the Betfred Blue Riband Trial at Epsom.

While he took four attempts to get off the mark as a juvenile, the form of his win over Kevin Ryan’s Inisherin now looks much stronger than it did at the time and he took another leap forward here.

Ridden by Oisin Murphy, he was content to take a lead off Ryan Moore on Aidan O’Brien’s Chief Little Rock and with those in behind struggling to get on terms, it soon developed into a battle.

Bellum Justum held a narrow advantage for much of the final furlong but while he was well on top of the Ballydoyle runner close home, Roger Varian’s Defiance began to stay on strongly.

Without looking like winning, he closed to within three-quarters of a length of the 9-1 winner, looking promising for the future on just his third outing.

Bellum Justum was cut to 25-1 from 50s for the Derby by both Coral and Paddy Power.

“He had a setback about a month ago and he missed 10 days, so he’s entitled to come on for that today,” Balding told Racing TV.

“His form looked pretty strong and he improved a lot with racing last year and he’s entitled to improve from two to three, so we were fairly sure he’d be there or thereabouts but we’re expecting him to come on for it.

“He’s in the Dante and if he was going to run again that would be the likely target, we’ll just see how the Guineas goes and the other trials and we might end up coming back here.

“He’s out of an Oasis Dream mare but he’s closely related to Fox Tal who stayed a mile and a half.

“He’s up there with our best three-year-olds but unfortunately the one we were really excited about, Anzac Day, has had a setback.”

Crystal Delight (5-2) made a winning debut for Harry Eustace when leading home stablemate Ziggy in the Lilley Plummer Risks City & Suburban Handicap.

Previously trained by the now-retired William Jarvis, he was sent straight to the front by Jim Crowley and controlled matters from the outset.

He kicked clear over two furlongs out and came home five and a half lengths ahead of Ziggy, who stayed on without ever looking a danger.

“William came as he’s good friends with dad (James Eustace) and we ended up with a couple off him, this one and Duke Of Verona and it’s going well so far,” said Eustace.

“I thought he’d run well as he’s been training well at home. It was a small field and he likes making the running, so I thought we’d be able to set our own fractions and that’s what Jim did, it worked out well.

“I had a mile-and-a-half handicap at York in mind so we’ll see how we go.”

Eustace had to settle for third with Duke Of Verona in the Weatherbys Global Stallions App Great Metropolitan Handicap as Champagne Piaff (5-2 favourite) ran out an easy winner for Gary and Ryan Moore.

Oisin Murphy has announced he will miss the Craven Meeting after breaking the whip rules at Newcastle on Good Friday.

The rider said he was found to have used his whip once more than the permitted six strikes when beaten just over five lengths in fifth aboard Vaguely Royal in the BetUK All-Weather Championships Marathon Handicap.

Murphy’s initial penalty was four days, but the value of the race means it is doubled to eight days, although he had two days deducted in recognition of his previous good conduct.

In a post on X, Murphy said: “I’ve picked up a six-day suspension for one strike too many on Vaguely Royal on Good Friday when finishing fifth in the Marathon.

“This was a genuine mistake and I didn’t purposely use my whip once more than permitted. As the race was worth £150k total prize money, my suspension should’ve been eight days but the fact I’ve not been suspended for a whip breach in over 200 rides, it’s been reduced by two days.

“Had I committed the same breach in the Listed Burradon Stakes on the card when finishing a narrowly-beaten second, I would be facing a two-day ban. I will miss April 12,13,15,16,17,18. The entire Craven meeting.

“I will endeavour not to fall foul of these whip rules as the penalties are costly.”

The three-day fixture at Newmarket features the first Classic trials of the season in the Nell Gwyn and Craven Stakes.

Andrew Balding and Oisin Murphy will attempt to go back-to-back in the BetMGM All-Weather 3 Year Old Championships Handicap with recent Kempton scorer Fire Demon at Newcastle on Good Friday.

The Kingsclere handler and his long-time jockey linked up with Desert Cop when the race was run as a conditions event 12 months ago, but look to have a strong hand once again with the six-furlong shootout now taking place as a handicap.

The Juddmonte-owned son of Dark Angel produced some solid form figures as a two-year-old but has really begun to take shape since dropped back to six furlongs from the turn of the year.

He has won two of his last three at that distance and arrives at Gosforth Park with connections hopeful of a bold bid.

“He’s been very consistent and had just one little blip this winter when he ran at Lingfield and Ryan (Moore) just felt the track didn’t suit him that day at all,” said Juddmonte’s European racing manager Barry Mahon.

“He bounced back nicely on his last start and I think the track at Newcastle will suit him well.

“He’s going there with a live chance and it’s great prize-money and a nice race – and if we could catch it, then it would be lovely.”

Those sentiments were echoed by Balding, who added: “It was nice to see him bounce back at Kempton and win well, as he got very unbalanced at Lingfield the time before that.

“On a conventional track like Newcastle again, I think he goes there with a sporting chance.”

Fire Demon’s jockey will know plenty about one of his mount’s chief rivals Blue Prince, having ridden him to finish on the premises at Lingfield the last twice.

Prior to that, David Evans’ Blue Point colt was seen getting the better of Sommelier over course and distance and his handler feels he could make a return to the scoresheet in the north east.

Evans said: “I thought he was a bit unlucky in the trial at Lingfield. He has come out of it in good order and I think he has a nice chance.”

Meanwhile, Sommelier has been kept fresh since that half-length reversal to Blue Prince on New Year’s Day, with Marco Botti’s charge meeting his old adversary on much better terms despite having to shoulder the burden of top-weight.

“His preparation has gone to plan and we are very happy with him,” said Botti.

“We wanted to bring him here fresh after his run in the trial. It is going to be a tough race, especially carrying top weight, but he has already proven himself at the track.

“We have booked Rossa Ryan and he has been lucky for us in the past.”

Karl Burke saddled El Caballo to land this prize two years ago and has two chances this year, with the consistent Media Shooter given precedence over stablemate Bazball by the odds compilers.

Spigot Lodge number one Clifford Lee agrees and has elected to partner recent Kempton scorer Media Shooter, who was a little over a length adrift of Fire Demon on his penultimate start.

Bazball, meanwhile, will have to snap a five-race losing run if she is to hit her sprinting rivals for six.

Burke said: “Bazball is coming off a bit of a break, albeit she has a low weight.

“Bazball has won at the track and they both have chances, but I think Media Shooter goes there with stronger claims.

“Media Shooter has performed really well on the all-weather and is probably going to be a bit sharper than her.”

Sprint king Mick Appleby is also double-handed in the race with G’Day Mate and Daring Legend, as the Oakham handler continues his quest to be champion all-weather trainer for a fifth straight season.

“I don’t think there will be much between them,” said Appleby. “G’Day Mate has more speed, so it will be a question of whether he gets home over the stiff six, while it was a bit of a rush to get Daring Legend qualified. I think they both have chances.”

There has never been an Irish winner of this particular Finals Day event, but Andrew Slattery will be bidding to change that with Dundalk regular Tarsus, who arrives off the ferry fresh from a success over all-weather veteran Harry’s Bar last month.

Slattery said: “Everything seems good with Tarsus. He has surprised us in some ways by how much he has come forward in recent months, although we thought he was a nice horse last year and he disappointed us.

“Declan McDonogh rode him the last day and said he would stay seven furlongs, so the stiff six at Newcastle should not be a problem.”

Oisin Murphy is aiming to repeat last year’s All-Weather Championships Finals Day heroics when he returns to Newcastle on Good Friday.

The 28-year-old enjoyed a fantastic afternoon at Gosforth Park 12 months ago, walking away with a treble in some of the most valuable races on the bumper card and all for his long-time training ally Andrew Balding.

Murphy is back in the north east with a stacked book of rides and as well as linking up with Kingsclere handler Balding, he will also get the leg-up from John and Thady Gosden, Rod Millman and Roger Varian over the course of the afternoon.

One of the Irishman’s best chances of success is the Juddmonte-owned Fire Demon, who is the general favourite for the BetMGM All-Weather 3 Year Old Championships Handicap.

However, Murphy is full of respect for some of the other leading contenders in the six-furlong event having partnered David Evans’ track-and-trip scorer Blue Prince in his last two starts.

Murphy said: “I had a great day at Newcastle on this card last year. It’s a little bit more competitive this time and many of the races are handicaps.

“Fire Demon won well at Kempton and seems in good shape since the race. He seems to be improving, but I actually respect Blue Prince and Sommelier a lot – Blue Prince has already won there and I feel it will suit Blue Prince a lot more than Lingfield where I was just beat on him last time.”

Murphy will donning the blue and white silks of King Power Racing for Balding aboard recent Kempton winners Fivethousandtoone and Teumessias Fox.

It was in the King Power silks Murphy teamed up with Balding to land the Easter Classic through Notre Belle Bete in 2023 and synthetics specialist Teumessias Fox is fancied to repeat the dose.

“Teumessias Fox Fox loves the all-weather and goes well fresh. He has a lot going for him, he’s easy to ride and I would hope he would put up a bold show,” continued Murphy.

He went on:”Fivethousandtoone won really well at Kempton last time and is in great shape and is moving well. It’s a competitive race, but he’s fairly treated by the handicapper on past form and hopefully he will go well.”

Millman’s Just A Spark and the Gosdens’ Vaguely Royal are two other rides, and he will will finish the afternoon aboard another King Power Racing-owned candidate, the Varian-trained Fantastic Fox in the BetMGM All-Weather Championships Mile Handicap, with the six-year-old course-and-distance winner arriving having won three of his last five.

Joe Fanning is set for a short spell on the sidelines after being knocked out in a fall at Wolverhampton on Monday night that led to three-time champion jockey Oisin Murphy being hit with a nine-day ban.

Fanning and his mount Sennockian passed the post a nose in front of the Murphy-ridden Dr Foster in an extended one-mile handicap at Dunstall Park, but was unseated just after the winning line.

The 53-year-old regained consciousness prior to leaving the track, but was taken to hospital for precautionary tests before later returning home.

“Joe is fine. He had precautionary scans on his head and everything at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton and they came back clear,” said his agent Niall Hannity.

“He got home late last night and I spoke to him this morning and he is fine.

“I’m not sure how long he’ll be out for. He’ll have to pass a baseline concussion test and it will be up to Dr Jerry Hill when he’ll be able to take that.

“We’ll see how he is in the next day or two, but he obviously won’t be riding this weekend or next week, I wouldn’t have thought.”

A stewards’ enquiry was called to consider the placings after several incidents of interference in the home straight.

The stewards ruled that Fanning had not committed any riding offences and that the placings should remain unaltered, but Murphy was found guilty of careless riding.

A stewards’ report read: “Murphy was suspended for nine days as he allowed his mount to drift approximately two horse widths right-handed away from the whip causing interference to Sennockian, before then using the whip again in the left hand whereupon his mount shifted further right-handed causing interference to Sennockian, with Fanning being unseated after the line.”

Murphy will be out of action on March 11 and 12 and from March 18 to 24, meaning he is set to miss the first weekend of the British Flat turf season at Doncaster.

Oisin Murphy can call on some familiar names when he heads to Saudi Arabia for the world’s most valuable racing festival this weekend.

The 28-year-old has clocked up the air miles this winter riding across the globe and has picked up three plum rides on Saturday’s Saudi Cup card at the King Abdulaziz Racecourse.

Murphy guided The Foxes to Dante glory for long-time training ally Andrew Balding prior to finishing fifth in the Derby at Epsom, and now has the chance to go one better than when narrowly denied in the Belmont Derby last July.

The King Power Racing-owned four-year-old tuned up for his Middle East assignment in the Neom Turf Cup by running on the Tapeta at Southwell, with rivals in the $2million event set to include Aidan O’Brien’s Hong Kong Cup runner-up Luxembourg.

“The Foxes had his prep race at Southwell and I’ve ridden him at home in between and Andrew is very happy with him,” said Murphy.

“I should have won a Grade One on him in America in the Belmont Derby. He got no run then, but fast ground and left-handed suits him.

“I think apart from Luxemburg, on ratings he should be bang there, and I’m really looking forward to him.”

Murphy also enjoyed plenty of joy aboard Kieran Cotter’s Matilda Picotte at the backend of last season and will be hoping to pick up some more prize-money aboard the top-class Irish filly.

The four-year-old has excelled over seven furlongs previously and with the trip for the $2m Turf Sprint run over a distance just shy of that number, the jockey believes a bold bid is possible.

“Matilda Picotte has a lot of speed and was brilliant last year,” continued Murphy.

“Her form in the autumn went up to another level and I think the distance is probably ideal – just under seven furlongs.

“She’s got so much natural speed and although it is a different type of track maybe to where her best performances have come – Doncaster and Newmarket – she has plenty of racing experience now and I hope I will get a nice draw on her.”

The Irishman, who away from the globetrotting is in red-hot form back on the all-weather in the UK, also rides Marco Botti’s Yorkshire Cup winner Giavellotto in the Red Sea Turf Handicap.

“Giavellotto is going to carry a lot of weight but he is a big horse and his form is really good for this sort of race,” added Murphy.

“I remember Andrea (Atzeni) winning on him at York and a repeat of that sort of performance would put him right in the mix.”

Oisin Murphy added another Classic to his roll of honour on Sunday when partnering Jendayi to victory in the Indian 1000 Guineas.

The Irishman has tasted big-race success around the globe and although missing out on the opportunity to showcase his horsemanship over hurdles at Wincanton recently, made the most of a first trip to Mumbai before he jets off for a stint in America later this month.

Murphy follows in the footsteps of Richard Hughes in riding a Classic winner for decorated local handler Pesi Shroff, who famously trained Jacqueline to win both the Indian 1000 and 2000 Guineas in 2009 before claiming the Indian Oaks and Derby a year later.

It was the same connections that offered Murphy his opportunities at the Mahalaxmi Racecourse and having found the scoresheet aboard Chamonix in the R J Kolah Trophy, he then joined forces with the heavy favourite for the feature event to register a double for Jendayi’s trainer Shroff and delight his Indian supporters.

“It was great to come out here,” said Murphy.

“I actually rode for the same connections as Richard Hughes was successful for with Jacqueline a couple of years ago when she won all the Classics.

“Both my rides won and I really enjoyed the experience in Mumbai. The track here is excellent and the people have been incredibly hospitable and made me really welcome.”

Oisin Murphy’s hurdles debut has been delayed after Thursday’s meeting at Wincanton was abandoned.

The three-times champion Flat jockey was due to have his first spin over obstacles aboard the Cian Collins-trained Lets Do This in the Danny McNab Bookmakers “National Hunt” Novices’ Handicap Hurdle at the Somerset track.

However, the fixture has been called off due to significant rain, with clerk of the course Daniel Cooper able to make a decision well ahead of the planned 8am inspection.

Cooper is also clerk at Exeter, where a 7.30am precautionary inspection on raceday will determine the prospects for Friday’s planned card.

Market Rasen hosts Thursday’s National Hunt action, with the ground reported to be soft, with heavy places on the chase track.

Sunday’s card at Huntingdon, which is scheduled to feature the Grade Two Peterborough Chase, is subject to a 2pm inspection on Thursday.

Cian Collins could record a unique double in providing Oisin Murphy with his first ride over hurdles at Wincanton on Thursday.

Collins helped close friend Denis O’Regan complete the full set of a winner at all the Irish and UK National Hunt tracks recently when Fiveonefive won at Hereford. Not long after that, O’Regan retired from the saddle a happy man.

Now Collins is hoping to provide another of his friends with a noteworthy success as Murphy, a multiple champion Flat jockey in the UK and nephew of three-times Gold Cup winner Jim Culloty, switches codes briefly.

Murphy rides the Collins-trained Lets Do This in the Danny McNab Bookmakers “National Hunt” Novices’ Handicap Hurdle.

“It’s created a bit of a stir on the internet I’ve seen, so hopefully it all goes well,” said Collins.

“We had Denis ride the winner at Hereford for us so hopefully this works out just as well, it would be nice.

“I can’t imagine riding over hurdles will be an issue for Oisin, he’s a top-quality horseman, it shouldn’t be a problem at all.

“I think the horse has a very good chance, hopefully, and let’s hope the meeting is on. They’ve had a dry day today so hopefully it should be.”

Three-time champion jockey Oisin Murphy is relishing the prospect of riding over hurdles for the first time at Wincanton on Thursday.

While most of the elite Flat riders are either enjoying some rare downtime during the winter, or plying their trade on foreign soil, Murphy will take up a new challenge in Dorset.

The 28-year-old is fresh from enjoying another successful campaign on the level, which yielded six Group One winners, including Classic success aboard Mawj in the QIPCO 1000 Guineas at Newmarket in May.

His mount on Thursday is the Cian Collins-trained Irish raider Lets Do This, who will contest the Danny McNab Bookmakers “National Hunt” Novices’ Handicap Hurdle.

Explaining his decision, the Killarney-born jockey said: “My uncle is Jim Culloty, who rode winners of the Cheltenham Gold Cup (Best Mate), Grand National (Bindaree) and Irish Grand National (Timbera) and also trained a winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup (Lord Windermere).

“I worked with him in my teens, so jumps racing has always been part of my life and it has always been a burning ambition of mine to ride in a jumps race.

“I took out a jumps licence earlier in the year, as at one stage it looked like I might get a ride in the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival.

“The programme of Flat racing means it is unlikely that I will be able to ride over hurdles often, but this opportunity arose as I know the trainer and owner of Lets Do This well. It is only a fairly low-grade handicap hurdle on Thursday, so it seemed like a good place to start.

“I have been schooling horses to prepare, though have not yet ridden Lets Do This.”

Murphy is set to be well supported at Wincanton, adding: “Jim might be coming along to see me ride and my friend Denis O’Regan, who recently retired, might be travelling over from Ireland.

“I’ll be walking the course when I get to Wincanton to see what it’s like and will try and seek the advice of the jump jockeys riding there. I am really looking forward to the challenge.”

Several leading Flat jockeys have enjoyed success under both codes, perhaps most notably the late, great Lester Piggott, who partnered 20 winners over hurdles, including the 1954 Triumph Hurdle hero Prince Charlemagne.

More recently, the likes of Richard Hughes, Jamie Spencer and Tom Queally have combined the two disciplines and Murphy hopes to add his name to the list.

He said: “It would be an amazing feeling to get a winner over jumps and I’m not looking beyond Thursday at the moment – I just hope I don’t embarrass myself!”

William Buick has conceded that despite retaining his champion jockey title, this season has been “different”.

Having claimed his first championship last year with a plethora of Group One victories, his main Charlie Appleby stable had a much quieter time of things this summer.

That did not stop Buick storming to another title, but it meant he spread his net far and wide in the search of winners as he cruised to victory over Oisin Murphy, with a strike-rate of over 20 per cent.

Buick said: “Retaining the championship has been a real highlight, but it has been a very different season, no season is the same, when you set the bar high the expectations are there. Even though the season has been different, my ambition was to retain the championship and work hard for it, which I have done.

“Last year I had lot of good winners including Classics and this year has been slightly different, but none the less this season has been a success.

“I have had lot of domestic and international rides, which are never an easy thing to balance when going for a championship, but like last year I have managed to get that right, and already we are looking forward to next year.”

In an interview with Great British Racing, Buick was asked what motivates him and he replied: “Being champion jockey drives me, no question about it.

“I also think that I am at a point in my career where I think why not keep doing it. I enjoy going racing, the winners, the support, and I enjoy being champion jockey.

“The big races, the Classics, the Derbys, the big Group Ones, the festivals and Royal Ascot are the pinnacle of the sport and that is how we showcase ourselves and the best horses.

“Being champion jockey is great and it should be on everyone’s list, but I have been privileged to race in the big meetings for a while as well and those are the moments that sell our sport.”

Buick was one of four jockeys to ride over a century of winners in the title race, which runs from May 6 to October 21, with Murphy, Rossa Ryan and Tom Marquand the others.

Oisin Murphy has been booked to partner Via Sistina after trainer George Boughey confirmed the Qipco Champion Stakes as the intended target for his star mare at Ascot on Saturday.

A brilliant winner of the Group Two Dahlia Stakes at Newmarket in the spring, the daughter of Fastnet Rock subsequently secured Group One glory in the Pretty Polly in Ireland and has since been placed in the Falmouth Stakes and beaten a nose in the Prix Jean Romanet in France.

Connections decided against contesting the Prix de l’Opera on Arc weekend due to the prevailing fast ground and have a choice of engagements this weekend, with Via Sistina also holding an entry in the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes over a mile and a half.

But with rain forecast to hit the Berkshire track, Boughey is planning on running his five-year-old against the boys on British Champions Day – and with regular rider Jamie Spencer in Australia to ride Simon and Ed Crisford’s West Wind Blows in the Caulfield Cup, three-time champion jockey Murphy has been called up.

Boughey said: “It (Champion Stakes) looks very much the plan at the moment. Ten furlongs I think is her optimum trip and it looks like the ground might be in her favour.

“The forecast for France looked like it was going to dry up ahead of the Prix de l’Opera and it certainly did. Steve and Becky Hillen (owners), and fair play to them, they wanted to wait for Ascot and thankfully the rain looks like it’s coming.

“There’s a chance the race may be held on the inner loop and there could be 50 per cent more runners in the fillies’ and mares’ race, so it could get messy. I think the Champion looks the right spot for her.

“The more time she has between her runs, the better she is as well. I still think her best performance of the year was on very soft ground at Newmarket, having had a long break through the winter.

“She’s very fit and very fresh and ready to rock and roll.”

Via Sistina is set to lead a small but select Boughey team into battle at Ascot, with Believing an intended runner in the Qipco British Champions Sprint and Baradar and Raadobarg both set to contest the concluding Balmoral Handicap.

Of the latter pair, Boughey added: “The trip is a bit of a question mark for Baradar – William (Buick) will need to be very patient on him, I think. He has a good record on the horse and knows him well.

“He won well the last day and he seems to have found another leg for the cheekpieces. We know he handles very soft ground, he won the International at Ascot earlier in the season and he comes here in as good a shape as I’ve had him all year, but it’s going to be a long final furlong for him, I’d say.

“Raadobarg takes his racing very well and seems to have come out of his run in the Darley Stakes the other day (finished third) in super shape.

“He deserves his place in the line-up. He’s a big price, but arguably he might be one of the classier horses in the race and we know he handles the ground.”

Matilda Picotte made all the running to claim the Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards Challenge Stakes at Newmarket.

Kieran Cotter’s enthusiastic three-year-old has some smart form figures on the Rowley Mile having won a Listed heat late last season at the track before returning to finish third in the 1000 Guineas behind Mawj and Tahiyra earlier in the year.

Returning to Newmarket on the back of an all-the-way success in the Sceptre Stakes at Doncaster, it was a case of more of the same in this Group Two event as Oisin Murphy allowed his willing partner to stride on.

The riders of chief rivals Audience and Chindit were at pains to close the gap as Murphy allowed Matilda Picotte to fill her lungs entering the dip and although the pack did close slightly in the latter stages of the contest, Matilda Picotte had enough in the tank to finish full of running and two and three-quarter lengths clear of fellow Irish raider Lord Massusus.

Cotter said: “I was a bit concerned she might falter in the last 100 yards, but she’s so much pace and she’s so genuine and they have to work hard to get to her.

“Her last couple of runs have been outstanding. I’ve been saying to the lads (owners) for a while that you wouldn’t see the best of her until the backend of her three-year-old season and she’s just got better and better.

“Oisin said today he was going too fast and she was aggressive early, but you can’t fight her, he just lets her roll and she’s incredibly tough.

“It’s fantastic as we wouldn’t have 20 horses, but we’re showing that if we have the right one, we can turn up on the day and take the money. It’s fantastic to be able to come to a racecourse like this and compete – we’re privileged to have her.

“I don’t know if she’ll run again this year. There is the Breeders’ Cup, who knows?

“There’ll be a lot of races for her next year, if we have her. I think she has an entry in the sales, but the lads were saying if she won well today they might keep her.

“She’s a horse of a lifetime and it’s been a fairy tale for all the lads.”

Oisin Murphy is eager to make up for lost time as the season moves towards one of its busiest periods.

The 27-year-old made a blistering return from a 14-month suspension in the early part of the campaign, picking up the 1000 Guineas on Mawj and striking gold at Royal Ascot aboard Shaquille in the Commonwealth Cup.

However, it was Ascot which led to a return to the sidelines for Murphy, with the Irishman accumulating five days of suspensions for careless riding and also picking up an eight-day ban for a whip offence aboard runner-up Valiant King in the King George V Stakes.

Murphy’s enforced absence coincided with Shaquille’s fantastic July Cup triumph during Newmarket’s July Festival, but rather than dwell on missing out on partnering Julie Camacho’s superstar speedster, he kept himself busy by riding out and in the showjumping ring as he tunes up for some key months of the campaign.

“I filled my time with showjumping and I was riding out a lot,” explained Murphy. “But at the same time I do love race riding and I’m delighted to be back.

“I jumped a lot and had a good few lessons. I always want to be a better showjumper, but I only get to train sporadically so it’s quite hard to improve.

“There’s a lot of good racing coming up. That was my first whip infringement and I hope it will be my last because the penalties are severe.”

Having got on the scoresheet at Leicester on his first day back in the saddle, Murphy is now keen to build up his confidence ahead of the Qatar Goodwood Festival which is always a major week for Qatar Racing’s retained rider.

He will also get the chance to reunite with Gold Cup runner-up Coltrane in the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup Stakes, with Andrew Balding’s stayer now one of the leading players in the top races over marathon distances.

“Hopefully I can just roll away and get my confidence up and look ahead to those big races coming up,” added Murphy.

“In bygone years I have had favourites for the Sussex Stakes and the Nassau at Goodwood and I probably won’t be in that position this time, but it is still an important meeting to try to do well there.

“There’s Coltrane in the Goodwood Cup. He’s been fantastic since Ascot. I don’t really ride him at home, he has the same rider, Chris, all the time. I saw him the other day and he looked great, he seems to have held his condition really well and Andrew is really happy.”

As well as Goodwood, there are also big meetings at Ascot, York and Deauville on the horizon and Murphy is relishing the opportunity to link up with David Menuisier’s impressive Sandown winner Sunway when he continues his racing education later this summer.

He said: “There’s a colt of David Menuisier’s called Sunway, who has come out of his race at Sandown well and he could be off to Ascot or Deauville I think.

“It’s great to probably have him to ride. He looks a very nice horse.”

Great State completed a hat-trick in fine style under Oisin Murphy to lift the laurels in the Listed British EBF 40th Anniversary Westow Stakes at York.

Michaela’s Boy set a furious clip under Freddie Larson, having broke smartly from the stalls in the five-furlong contest.

He was still in front with a furlong to race and despite drifting right, he stuck on well but had no answer to the Richard Fahey-trained winner (13-2), who picked up smartly on the stands rail.

The three-year-old grey, who had won at Southwell and Thirsk on his previous two starts, powered home to score by two and a half lengths from Pillow Talk, who pipped the long-time leader for third.

Fahey said: “We had a long discussion whether we kept this horse back for the sprint at Ascot (the Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes) because we do like the horse and it’s not very often you have a horse rated in the 90s that you think is well handicapped.

“He won’t be well handicapped any longer, but I’m delighted for Sheikh Sultan.

“He’s a real dude, very laid back and easy to deal with, he’s a pleasure to train and I’m delighted to have him.

“I was a little bit worried because he’d been running on the all-weather and won on very soft ground last time and it was quick ground today, so I had the excuse ready if he did get beat.

“He’s a talented horse, I’ll talk to Sheikh Sultan and decide where to go.”

Murphy was on board due to a suspension being served by Fahey’s stable jockey, Oisin Orr.

“Oisin Orr would have usually ridden him but unfortunately he’s suspended today, so I stepped in,” said Murphy.

“He’s a horse that I’m sure everyone at Musley Bank is very excited about. He’s an improver and he’s a lovely horse.

“He probably would enjoy more juice in the ground and he’d stay a little bit further as he was on his head in the middle part of the race, but he got going when they slowed down.

“He’s definitely a horse on the up.”