Despite the rain continuing to fall on the Ascot turf ahead of Qipco Briritsh champions day, Oisin Murphy will not have his day dampened.
The Kerry native will pick up a first Stobart Champion Jockey title on Saturday regardless of how many winners he rides on Saturday.
Murphy has ridden over 200 winners for the year, 166 of those counted towards his championship total, more than 30 ahead of nearest rival Danny Tudhope.
It has been a constant rise for Murphy who was Champion Apprentice in 2014. Every season he has improved on the previous. In 2016 he had over 100 winners in a calendar year for the first time.
The 2018 season saw Murphy break the 200 winner mark globally and this season en-route to his maiden championship, he rode over 200 winners in the UK.
Oisin Murphy is determined not to rest on his laurels despite admitting that winning a championship is the realisation of a lifetime ambition.
“The best jockeys are judged on their results in the big races; I’ve only won two Group 1s this season” – champion jockey elect @oismurphy is typically humble as he reflects on his season with @MCYeeehaaa, but hopes for more big race success autumn… pic.twitter.com/BRJQihmwQO
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) October 16, 2019
Dream
"It's something I've dreamt of since I was a child and to be on the brink of picking up the trophy is a great feeling and a testament to all the people behind me and all the support I've been given," he said.
As the retained rider for Qatar Racing he has plenty of quality to choose from although his wins this season have come from a variety of sources. Murphy has ridden for over 130 different trainers this season in Britain, over 50 of them supplied the Killarney man with winners.
Hoping to one day follow in the footsteps of Murphy and become Champion jockey is a famous name of the weigh room Cieren Fallon. Yes, the name is familiar, he is the son of five-time champion jockey Kieren Fallon and will be crowned Champion Apprentice on Saturday.
It's a rise made all the more astonishing as Fallon junior only decided to pursue a career as a jockey two years ago. Cieren only rode his first winner in September 2018 and less than 15 months later is the Champion Apprentice.
Fallon's ascent will have the sentimental punters hoping he reaches the kind of heights his father did when driving home winner after winner for the biggest stable ins the game.
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