Where are they now? Declan Murphy.
Byline: GARRY OWENTHE 1994 Swinton Hurdle at Hay dock will be remembered for the race that effectively ended the riding career of Declan Murphy.
Though he made a remarkable recovery for a brief return to the saddle, he hung up his boots for good the following year to work in the media.
Murphy was aboard Jeremy Glover's Arcot when the favourite took a crashing fall at the final flight. The gelding was killed in the incident and Murphy was rushed to Walton Hospital in Liverpool for life-saving brain surgery.
But, despite multiple injuries including a skull fractured in eight places, he came back to ride for a short spell before calling it a day.
Murphy was still among the unpaid ranks when booting home his first winner on Prom at Tralee in 1983 but, soon after turning professional, the big-race victories started rolling in.
Among them were two Irish Champion Hurdles on Kings mill (1989) and Royal Derbi (1993) and the 1992 H & T Walker Gold Cup on Deep Sensation and the same year's Scilly Isles Chase on Bradbury Star.
He also won the 1991 Bula Hurdle on Royal Derbi but he has particularly fond memories of 1993 Champion Chaser Deep Sensation.
Murphy said: ''He was a joy to ride and we had some great battles with Viking Flagship. It's a shame they both arrived in the same era.
''We also won the Mumm Melling Chase together but it was Richard Rowe who rode him when he won the Tote Gold Trophy in 1990. Along with Royal Derbi, I was sorry to see he passed away recently.''
Murphy rode as first jockey to Josh Gifford and the pair enjoyed plenty of success, notably with Bradbury Star and Deep Sensation.
He added: ''Josh was one of my boyhood heroes and it was the realisation of a dream to ride for him. We had some great times.''
Murphy was in the headlines again recently when the victim of an armed robbery at his house near New market and, just last week in London, when held at gun point in an at temped car-jacking.
A long-time regular for the old Racing Channel, he now fits in the odd game of golf and tries to go racing when time allows.
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| Title Annotation: | Sport |
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| Publication: | Daily Record (Glasgow, Scotland) |
| Date: | Jan 31, 2004 |
| Words: | 377 |
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