The multiple Classic winner will devote all his time to his new career as a trainer.
Today, the sport of racing saw a true legend move from one phase of his career to another and if Johnny Murtagh is half as succesful as a trainer as he was in the saddle, he will be some operator.
The 43-year-old told PA today that he was giving up riding to spend all his time at the stables.
“The training side of things is getting bigger all the time and I wasn’t happy giving the riding 50 per cent and the training 50 per cent. It’s the right time to call it a day with the riding and put everything into the training side of things.”
In fairness to Murtagh, he has achieved everything a Flat jockey could achieve. Riding his first winner back in 1987, the Meath man has won Group 1s all over the world, from the Irish Derby to the Breeders’ Cup Mile.
Murtagh partnered Sinndar to Epsom Derby, Irish Derby and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe success in the same year (2000) and he would also pilot the likes of Fame And Glory, Yeats, Rock Of Gibraltar, High Chaparral, Motivator, Rip Van Winkle and St Nicholas Abbey to big race success.
In total, Murtagh won four Irish Derbys, six Irish Oaks, five Ascot Gold Cups, three Epsom Derbys and two 2000 Guineas, as well as virtually every other big race in the game all around the world. Add in five Irish Flat jockey championships and Murtagh will go down as one of the all-time greats.
Murtagh took out a training licence in May last year but he had been helping Tommy Carmody for a while in his yard outside The Curragh and that rapidly growing stable will now become his full-time job.
We wish him all the best in his new career.
