Oisin Murphy

The headline numbers are impressive, but the Class 1 record is what sets Murphy apart. Seventy-three wins at the top level of British racing, at venues like York, Ascot, and Newmarket — these are the races that matter most, the ones with the biggest fields, the deepest prize money, and the sharpest competition. His most recent was at Newmarket in October 2025, one of the sport's great stages. Winning there once is an achievement; winning there as part of a collection of 73 top-level victories tells you this is a jockey who rises when the occasion demands it.

His partnership with trainer Andrew Balding is one of the most productive combinations in British racing right now. From 292 rides together, they have produced 71 winners — that is nearly 1 in every 4 races, a win rate of 24%. When a trainer keeps putting a jockey on their horses at that frequency, it is because they trust them completely. Balding and Murphy have clearly found something that works.

Then there is Salisbury, where Murphy has been almost unstoppable. Seven winners from just 13 runners is an extraordinary return — more than 1 in every 2 races — and numbers like that at a specific track usually mean a combination of tactical intelligence, course knowledge, and pure confidence. Some jockeys just read certain tracks better than others, and Salisbury appears to suit Murphy perfectly.

What makes Murphy's story genuinely compelling is the pace of it all. Four years in, 674 winners, 73 at the very top level — he is not building towards something, he is already there. The wins at Wolverhampton and Lingfield in the winter months show he is not the kind of jockey who saves himself for the big occasions. He rides to win every time he gets a leg up, and more often than not, that is exactly what he does.