Oisin Murphy lined up for £330,000 winner the day after court appearance on drink-drive charge

OISIN MURPHY has been lined up for a £330,000 winner – the day after his court appearance on a drink-drive charge.

The reigning champion jockey will appear at Reading Magistrates’ Court on Thursday after he was involved in a car crash that left a young woman in hospital with ‘serious injuries’.

AlamyOisin Murphy is set to ride in the US the day after his appearance in court on a drink-drive charge… before flying back in time for several rides at Sandown on Saturday[/caption]

Murphy, 29, was also charged with failing to provide a sample at the roadside on April 27.

The four-time champion jockey is booked for four rides at Thirsk on Wednesday, with the last of those at 5.48pm.

He will then make the 238-mile, five-hour journey from the North Yorkshire track to Reading for his court appearance.

But that trek is minuscule compared to what he has in store over the next few days.

Murphy is set to be at New York racecourse Saratoga, US, on Friday for a money-spinning ride on the Qatar Racing-owned New Century in the Group 1 Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes at 10.45pm British time.

Victory on the Brendan Walsh-trained three-year-old colt is worth £330,000 in all.

From there Murphy will make the seven-hour transatlantic flight back to Britain in time for 1.50pm at Sandown on Saturday, Coral-Eclipse day at the Surrey track.

Matt Chapman on Oisin Murphy

OISIN MURPHY is up in court on Thursday.

Some of you won’t be surprised, some of you won’t care and some of you will think he deserves everything he gets.

However some of you, like me, will just be saddened it’s come to this for an outstanding champion.

Indeed, I feel an overwhelming sadness for Murphy.

I felt the same after the death of Pat Eddery.

His passing had a real effect on me, as I knew Pat well.

Pat had drink issues but, in many ways, it appeared to me some encouraged Pat to turn to booze rather than try to stop him.

I will always believe more could have been done but, ultimately, Pat himself needed to change.

It’s the same with Murphy.

Read Matt’s full column here.

He is booked for 10-1 change Shagraan there ahead of the eagerly anticipated ride on 12-1 Almaqam in the £1million Eclipse itself at 3.35pm.

Murphy has ridden New Century in seven of his eight career runs, the highlight being a Group 1 win at Woodbine in September last year.

New Century was trained by Andrew Balding then before moving to James Ferguson and then Walsh.

Irad Ortiz Jnr rode him most recently when the son of Kameko finished third in the American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs in May.

Kieran Shoemark will be joining Murphy in the States because he has the ride on Charlie Fellowes’ Luther.

The BHA recently confirmed Murphy was free to ride on the days before and after his court appearance.

A statement from Thames Valley Police said: “A man has been charged in connection with an ongoing investigation into a serious road traffic collision in Hermitage, West Berkshire.

“Last Thursday (19/6) Oisin Murphy, aged 29, of Beales Farm Road, Lambourn, Hungerford, was charged by postal requisition with one count of driving a motor vehicle while over the prescribed limit of alcohol and one count of failing to cooperate with a preliminary test at the roadside.

“The charge is in connection with a single vehicle road traffic collision around 12.05am on Sunday 27 April this year when a grey Mercedes A Class left the road and crashed into a tree.

“Murphy is due to appear at Reading Magistrates’ Court on 3 July.

“It is vital that people do not speculate or spread misinformation on social media as this is a live investigation.”