Declan Murphy (born 5 March 1966) is an Irish former horse rider known for his return to his career after a life-threatening injury.

Biography

Murphy was raised in

County Limerick "Remember Limerick" , image_map = Island_of_Ireland_location_map_Limerick.svg , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Ireland , subdivision_type1 = Province , subdivision_name1 = Munster , subdivision ...

and went on to study law at the

University of California The University of California (UC) is a public land-grant research university system in the U.S. state of California. The system is composed of the campuses at Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, Riverside, San Diego, San Francisco, ...

. His first win under Rules was on Prom at Tralee in 1983.

Barney Curley Bernard Joseph Curley (5 October 1939 – 23 May 2021) was a racehorse trainer, gambler and founder of the Zambian charity DAFA from Northern Ireland Biography Bernard Joseph (Barney) Curley was born one of six children to Kathleen and Charl ...

brought him to England where he would become

Josh Gifford Josh Gifford (3 August 1941 – 9 February 2012) was a jockey and trainer in National Hunt racing. He was a four-time Champion Jockey, riding 642 winners in his career. He retired from training in 2002, aged 60, and his son Nick Gifford took ...

's stable jockey. Through this partnership, Murphy rode

Deep Sensation Deep Sensation (6 July 1985 – 25 November 2003) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse who competed under National Hunt rules. He ran in six consecutive Cheltenham Festivals and is best known for his win in the 1993 Queen Mother Champion Cha ...

to win the 1993

Queen Mother Champion Chase The Queen Mother Champion Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. As part of a sponsorship agreement with the onli ...

and Bradbury Star to the 1993

Mackeson Gold Cup The Paddy Power Gold Cup is a Premier Handicap National Hunt racing, National Hunt Steeplechase (horse racing), chase in Great Britain which is open to Horse racing, horses aged four years or older ...

. He would also ride winners at the

Bula Hurdle The International Hurdle is a Grade 2 National Hunt racing, National Hunt Hurdling (horse race), hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run on the New Course ...

and the Tripleprint Gold Cup. He suffered a near fatal fall while riding Arcot at the 1994

Swinton Handicap Hurdle The Swinton Handicap Hurdle is a Grade 3 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Haydock Park over a distance of about 1 mile 7½ fu ...

. He made a comeback the following year at

Chepstow Chepstow ( cy, Cas-gwent) is a town and community in Monmouthshire, Wales, adjoining the border with Gloucestershire, England. It is located on the tidal River Wye, about above its confluence with the River Severn, and adjoining the western ...

before retiring from the sport. The book ''Centaur'' by Ami Rao was published about Murphy in 2017.

References

Irish jockeys Living people 1966 births Equestrians from County Limerick University of California alumni {{Ireland-horseracing-bio-stub