THE case against Oisin Murphy came to a quick conclusion on Thursday, following a drink driving incident back in April.

For a rider who to-date this season has earned his share of over £2.1 million won by his mounts, the £70,000 fine and 20-month driving ban are a slap on the wrist.

A debate has been played out across racing media. Has Murphy been represented too favourably in media coverage? Matt Chapman’s Sun newpaper comment piece had the headline: Help Oisin to help himself.

It’s perhaps worth looking back at his ‘trials’ over the past few years. Read the details of his hearing by the BHA in December 2023.

Murphy was banned from riding for 14 months for Covid-19 and alcohol breaches, having accepted five charges brought against him by the BHA.

Two charges related to breaking Covid rules in September 2020, two failed tests for alcohol in May and October of 2021, as well as a charge of “acting in a manner which is prejudicial to the proper integrity, conduct, and good reputation of the sport”.

He was handed 14-month ban and fined £31,000.

He had been banned for three months in November 2020 after a racecourse test, taken at Chantilly in July, found traces of cocaine in his system.

He denied he had taken drugs and the defence of environmental contamination from a sexual encounter and scientific hair test evidence was accepted by France Galop.

Deterrent

The question has to be, taking all this into account, have any of the ‘punishments’ been a deterrent?

For all the positive contributions Murphy makes to racing, it does not give him a pass for such repeated behaviour. He has got to take responsibility and the evidence on that score isn’t convincing. Is the, ‘I’m a good guy really’, making all this more acceptable? Did this recent case not indicate nothing is changing?

Read the conclusion to that long BHA hearing. Chair of the disciplinary panel of the British Horseracing Authority, James O’Mahony, concluded: “Oisin Murphy is a young man, a brilliant jockey, a super horseman and, with respect, both intelligent and articulate.

“However, affected by addiction that you may have been, we conclude you thought you were above the rules and the law. And however high you are, you are not above them. They apply to all.”

Fully accept

The #BeKind hashtag can be a cop out in such cases. It should not allow someone to be absolved of responsibility for the consequences of their actions. It is especially inappropriate if there is repeated bad behaviour. Murphy apologised on Thursday for his “grave error’. Again.

If Murphy was under stress from the fallout and implications of this incident, it was not obvious on his day-to-day work. He had a very good Royal Ascot, in the spotlight for post-race interviews. Does it feel like Murphy is genuinely embarrassed or remorseful? Should we see more contrition?

Everyone likes Oisin for the good stuff that he does, but is that not part of the problem?

Addicts can very often be manipulators. There is a danger that someone who knows they have a lot of public support may feel they can get away with more than a less genial guy might. “I’m a nice guy but I have issues, give me a free pass.”

In this quarter the mantra is #BeFair rather than #BeKind. It may be time to take a harsher line.

ECLIPSE first, the rest nowhere, is a phrase settled in racing folklore and the race named in honour of the 18th century champion racehorse has regularly seen the best take on the best in the mid-summer feature.

It’s always been a stallion making race. It’s been a race of redemption for the likes of Sadler’s Wells, Dancing Brave, Hawk Wing, Roaring Lion – all beaten in their Derbys.

It’s been a race of confirmation for the Derby winner against the older horses - Mill Reef, Nashwan, Sea The Stars, Golden Horn. It had the best of winners like Pebbles, Giant’s Causeway and Enable. It’s been a race of reward for brilliance over a sustained period, as it was for Pilsudski, Falbrav and So You Think, and it’s had it’s share of controversial finishes too. Lester and Kieren Fallon, in their time, were caught out.

In the last 25 years, three-year-olds have won 11 runnings. Five-year-old have won eight there have been six wins for four-year-olds.

Aidan O’Brien has won three of the last four runnings. He’s won it eight times, six with three-year-olds. Seven of the last 10 winners have been three-year-olds and they were also not allowed run in 2020 during Covid. This year’s running is no less intriguing. Field Of Gold aside, the flat season has been a Godolphin versus Ballydoyle match up.

Classic blues

The royal blues got the two Newmarket Guineas, Aidan got the Derby and Oaks at Epsom, as well as the Irish 1000 and Derby, and both the French 2000 Guineas and Derby. Godolphin had the two most impressive winners at Royal Ascot and it is one of them, Ombudsman, who is the hot favourite today.

Pitched against him are two Aidan O’Brien-trained three-year-olds. Delacroix was favourite for the Derby at Epsom but never looked like winning. Perhaps surprisingly, Ryan Moore goes with him today. Christophe Soumillon is no disadvantage, taking the ride on the French Derby winner Camille Pissarro.

The impressive 2000 Guineas winner Ruling Court is also added to the fray. Add in triple French Group 1 winner Sosie and it’s one terrific race.

Sosie is dismissed as his best form is over further and on softer. You don’t want to be on the back foot at Sandown and I fear he may be. His nine-furlong Ispahan win was against lesser opposition.

The three-year-olds’ stats lead you to make a case against Ombudsman but he was value for even more at Ascot as he lost at least a length trying to get a run and he finished fastest.

Ruling Court was trained for the Derby but withdrawn on softening ground an hour or so before. He sweated up badly at Royal Ascot and was in trouble early over the mile. But on his Guineas win, 9/1 is a crazy price. But the Ascot performance and this quickish return are a concern.

So to A O’B or not to A O’B and to which colt? It had seemed Camille Pissarro was the number one earlier in the week. The data said Delacroix was unlikely to stay at Epsom but he would not have won at a mile and two. He was well back early, having been ridden forward on his two Leopardstown wins. Presumaby, he will be close to the pace here.

Happy hunting ground

France has been a happy hunting ground for Camille Pissarro, winning the Group 1 Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere last season and returning to finish third to stable companion Henri Matisse in the Poulains, almost matching his sectionals over the final three furlongs, and put up a battling show to take the Prix du Jockey-Club.

Christophe Soumillon knows him well.