THE three-time champion flat jockey Oisin Murphy says it would be a “dream come true” to ride in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival, revealing he is interested in taking a ride in the Grade 1 for the first time.

The Kerry native returned from a 14-month suspension over alcohol and Covid breaches earlier this month, and has hit the ground running with five winners from his first 20 rides in Britain.

Murphy also now holds a licence to ride over jumps and is a keen showjumper in his spare time away from race-riding. Should a suitable chance to ride in the Champion Bumper present itself next month, the multiple Group 1-winning rider told The Irish Field that he would be keen to explore the opportunity.

“I would love to ride in the race - it would be a dream come true,” said Murphy, 27.

“I don’t have a ride lined up for the Champion Bumper at the moment. One day I’d hope to ride in some jumps races. I’ve taken out my jumps licence and my uncle Jim Culloty won the Champion Bumper back in 2004 on Total Enjoyment for Tom Cooper. One day I would certainly like to try to do the same thing.

“I really enjoy jumping in general, particularly show jumping. I grew up in a National Hunt racing family and possibly at some time it would be a dream come true to get the chance to do it.”

Murphy would not be the first flat rider to try his hand at the Cheltenham Festival. Jamie Spencer memorably won the Champion Bumper on the Edward O’Grady-trained Pizarro in 2002, while Kieren Fallon finished fourth on Refinement for Jonjo O’Neill in 2005.

The most recent flat jockeys to tackle the big-field event are Donnacha O’Brien (eighth on Meticulous in 2019), the late Pat Smullen (fifth on Vigil in 2014 and 2015), Richard Hughes and Joseph O’Brien (both finished down the field in 2013).

Willie Mullins-trained runners dominate the race’s ante-post market, and Murphy has previously registered a big-handicap success for the champion jumps trainer on Limini at Irish Champions Weekend in 2018.