Teenage jockey Lucas Murphy has certainly earned classroom bragging rights by winning his first race against professional jockeys during his Easter holidays.
At the age of 16, Lucas is a rising star of the horseracing world. But on Friday (17 April), just days before he returned to school, the Marlborough College student lined up against the likes of champion jockeys Sean Bowen and Harry Cobden for Ayr Racecourse’s Slater Menswear Handicap Hurdle and came home a mighty 11 lengths clear of his rivals.
Riding 18/1 shot Tuppence for trainers Lucinda Russell and Michael Scudamore, Lucas’s milestone success came on the eve of the Scottish Grand National. This was a race that Lucas’s father Timmy Murphy won twice on Merigo for owner Raymond Green, Lucas’s grandfather, who owns and bred the lovely six-year-old Tuppence with his late wife.
“I really enjoyed that, she gave me a nice spin round and it’s nice to get my first winner under rules in Granddad’s colours here,” said the young jockey, who was a star on the Shetland Pony Grand National circuit before honing his skills in pony racing.
Lucas Murphy: combining A levels and point-to-pointing
Lucas rode his first point-to-point winner in January, but any aspirations to become a professional jump jockey have to be put on hold until he completes his A levels at school next year.
“I’m very happy that it’s all happened, but it’s back to reality now,” Lucas told H&H when we caught up with him in the aftermath.
Lucas’s license only came through the week before Ayr and as well as winning on Tuppence on his professional debut, he finished fourth on the Paul Nicholls-trained Paso Double in the conditional/amateur jockeys’ hurdle later in the day.
“It was all very coincidental – Grandad had entered Tuppence before we even considered riding as a professional, so it was just a good draw of events,” he said.
“I’d never ridden her before but luckily she was very easy. [Lucinda Russell’s partner] Peter Scudamore said to jump off in the middle to near the back and just have a nice spin round. I tried not to complicate things and the further we went, the better it was getting, so I’m delighted.
“I was slightly concerned about the task of settling her because in her past races she has been a bit buzzy, but whether it was the ground or the speed she went, she was easy enough. It was very enjoyable.”
How it all began: AP McCoy and Bob Champion give some tips for some young jockeys including Lucas Murphy (nearest) in 2018.
“I was just waiting for something to come by me”
Lucas and Tuppence took the lead three fences from home in the two-mile race, opening up a clear advantage by the time they cleared the final hurdle in tremendous style.
“I popped the last and I was just waiting for something to come by me to be honest! Everything went a bit quiet so I looked at the screen and thought ‘Oh, I should probably take a pull!’” said Lucas. “But she’s very professional in the way she kicked clear and won nicely.”
Lucas was welcomed to the winner’s enclosure by his extended family including proud mother Verity, his grandfather and his aunts.
“It was a great day out,” said Lucas. “The other jockeys were very kind – obviously a few knew Dad from back in the day and they were all very supportive.
“Dad’s very good at giving me advice on things to change, things to improve on. When I’m racing, Granddad is very good at supporting me. I’ve had a dream start and hopefully it keeps going.”
More success in his grandfather’s colours
While Lucas returns to school for his final term of the lower sixth year, he’s hoping to continue his pointing career alongside his studies.
“I’m very fortunate to have big trainers like Nicky Henderson very locally to me, so I ride out there in the mornings then we’ve got one pointer at home, which is a retired horse of Granddad’s called Castletown, who won a race at Lockinge the other week, which was very cool,” he said.
“I’m just going to try to keep getting as many rides as I can pointing at the weekends and get as much experience as possible, and hopefully ride a few winners.”
Tuppence’s half-brother Traprain Law, another of Raymond’s home-breds, finished third behind Moudan in the following day’s Scotty Brand Handicap Chase.
“This is beyond special,” he said.
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