Champ Murphy cops ban for COVID breach

Oisin Murphy, Britain's champion jockey, has been banned from riding for 14 months after admitting to breaking Covid rules, misleading the British Horseracing Authority and prejudicial conduct, plus two alcohol breaches.

The 26-year-old rider faced an independent judiciary panel on Tuesday at which he did not contest any of the charges.

Murphy is well-known in Victorian racing circles having worked in Australia as an 18-year-old apprentice during which time he rode 13 winners including three at Flemington.

More recently he rode Benbatl into second place in the Cox Plate in 2018 and would have ridden in the Melbourne Cup that year but for a 15-day careless riding ban for his ride on Spirit of Valour in the Manikato Stakes.

Murphy, who said he had developed a dependence on drink, but was now sober, lied about a trip to Mykonos in September 2020 when the Greek island was on a UK government 'red list' - meaning he was supposed to quarantine for 14 days upon his return.

Instead he claimed he had been at Lake Como, in Italy, and continued working, riding 11 winners during the period he should have been self-isolating.

He maintained the pretence even after being questioned by horse racing officials who had been tipped off that he had been in Mykonos. He even made references in the media to his "Italian bulge".

However, the regulator was then made aware of a photo posted by Murphy on social media - that was later deleted - with Mykonos tagged as the location and a video appearing to show Murphy at the holiday destination.

He finally confessed in May 2021.

Murphy said: "I couldn't undo the lies and deceit. Now that I'm sober I'm a different person and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have made those errors sober, but I can't go back in