Murtagh retires from riding

In 2008, he rode 19 Group 1 winners, followed by 10 in 2009. Amongst his

standout mounts during this time were four-time Group 1 winner and classic hero

Mastercraftsman; Duke of Marmalade, winner of five consecutive Group 1s in 2008;

transatlantic Group/Grade 1 winner and Eclipse champion Cape Blanco; three-time

Group 1-winning miler Henrythenavigator, and Sussex, Queen Elizabeth II and

Juddmonte International scorer Rip Van Winkle.

Murtagh was also aboard Yeats for the legendary stayer's historic third and

fourth Gold Cup victories at Royal Ascot, and rode Rock of Gibraltar to seven

consecutive Group 1 victories in 2001-02. After resigning from the Coolmore post

in 2010, Murtagh went to work again for Oxx and The Aga Khan. He won the Prix de

Diane aboard Valyra in 2012, and also during that time period won the 2011 Epsom

Oaks aboard Dancing Rain.

After spending a few years working alongside trainer Tommy Carmody at Fox

Covert Stables at The Curragh, Murtagh was granted his trainer's license last

year. He took over Fox Covert and experienced immediate success, winning a pair

of Group 3 races with former Irish St Leger victor Royal Diamond, and the

Blandford Stakes with Belle de Crecy, both of which he also rode.

Murtagh continued to perform with outstanding success as a jockey last year,

collecting five Group 1 victories: the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth with

Novellist, the King's Stand aboard Sole Power, the Haydock Sprint Cup on Gordon

Lord Byron, the Irish Oaks aboard Chicquita and the Pretty Polly with

Ambivalent. He earned the leading rider title at Royal Ascot for the fifth time

last year.

Murtagh retires from the saddle with more than 100 Group 1 wins, including 25

classic victories in four countries and wins in all of Royal Ascot's Group 1

races.

"I've done extremely well, and when you look at the list of horses I've

ridden, there have been some brilliant horses," Murtagh said. "It would be

unfair to pick out one, but there were a number of special days. My first Derby

win aboard Sinndar was obviously a huge thing, and then Yeats was an incredible

horse to be associated with. I suppose winning on Sole Power in the King's Stand

last year was massive for me as well. Just the way the race went and getting up

on the line -- you know when you get it right. Riding and training Royal Diamond

to win on Champions Day last year at Ascot (in the Long Distance Cup). That was

something very special as well.

"I was very lucky to ride for some great people," Murtagh continued. "I got

along with them all and still do. It's been brilliant. When you are riding you

can take all the big winners for granted, but when you sit back and think about

it, I've been very lucky. I'm coming up 44 this year and my first Group 1 was on

Manntari for Mr. Oxx in 1993 (National Stakes at The Curragh). Someone texted me

earlier saying I had 105 Group 1 winners, but my wife thinks it's 107.

"I've been all over the world riding, I've met some lovely people and it's

been a great experience. I didn't ride a horse until I was 15 and it's been

fantastic, but it's now time to move on to the next chapter in my life. We have

45 horses in training at the moment, including 20 two-year-olds and we have a

few new owners. I have the same expectations as when I was riding -- the

standards are still the same. If we get a bit of luck and a good horse comes

along, we'll get there."

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