Timmy Murphy

Timothy James Murphy (born 20 August 1974 in County Kildare, Ireland) is a former National Hunt and now current Flat racing jockey who overcame difficult personal problems to win the 2008 Grand National at Aintree Racecourse on the horse Comply or Die. He recorded his 1,000th winner at Taunton on 21 January 2010. He won the Scottish Grand National on Merigo in 2010 and 2012. He was the winner of the 2005 Jump Jockey of the Year at the Lester Awards.

Career

Murphy rode his first National Hunt winner in January 1994 at Punchestown on The Real Article. He rode his first Cheltenham Festival winner in 1997 on Terao in the Mildmay of Flete Challenge Cup. He rode his second Cheltenham Festival winner in 1999 on Sir Talbot in the Vincent O'Brien County Hurdle.

He came second in the 2001 Grand National on Smarty. He won the 2001 Irish Grand National on David's Lad. In the 2001/02 season he was working for Paul Nicholls and was two wins away from his first GB century with a fortnight left in the season when he was arrested after a flight to Japan. When Murphy was released from prison he worked in Mike Hourigans yard. While there he rode Beef or Salmon to victory in the 2002 Ericsson Chase and the 2003 Irish Hennessy Gold Cup both at Leopardstown.

In 2004 he rode two Cheltenham Festival winners. They were Tikram in the Mildmay of Flete Challenge Cup and Creon in the Pertemps Final. He rode two more winners in the 2005 Cheltenham Festival. They were Contraband in the Arkle Chase and Fontanesi in the Vincent O'Brien County Hurdle.

Timmy Murphy won the 2008 Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival on Our Vic. A few weeks later Murphy won the 2008 Grand National on Comply or Die for trainer David Pipe and owner David Johnson. Only four completed the race. This was Murphy's 11th attempt at winning the Grand National. He also won the Pierse Hurdle on Barker and the Aintree Hurdle on Al Eile. This was his second year in a row winning the Aintree Hurdle on Al Eile. He also won the 2005 Aintree Hurdle on Al Eile.

In the 2009 Grand National Murphy came second to Mon Mome on Comply or Die. He rode Comply or Die the following two years at the Grand National but had no further success on him.

On May 11, 2015 at Wolverhampton he had his first winner since his switch to the flat on Houdini.

Personal life

In July 2002 he got a one month sentence for indecent assault and three months for being drunk on an aeroplane served concurrently.