Finally for Goulburn’s Pat Murphy the passions to return to racetracks, ride and train his own, were all consuming.
After retiring from race riding Pat was thoroughly industry educated and regarded highly enough to be appointed to the profile of a TV producer for Sky Racing and Channel 7.
“Brilliant experience, closely involved with all the racing personalities, but my aspirations were always to train and ride my own back in a beautiful part of the racing world where I started riding,” Pat explained.
Trainer Pat Murphy (next to horse) with his Mum Bernadette & Dad Lindsay after Victory Roll’s Goulburn win. Image by Bradley Photographers
This is Murphy’s fourth training season and is positive enough about his outsider Victory Roll (a $16 chance on TAB) in a tough TAB Highway Plate (1600m) set weights Class 3, at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
The dual-winning Belardo (Ire) three-year-old has 57.5 kg less a 2kg claim for multiple series winner Amy McLucas.
McLucas has progressed spectacularly with over a dozen city winners since linking with Waterhouse & Bott last season after starting with the Longmire twins in Goulburn.
Pat Murphy started his riding apprenticeship at Goulburn with the late great Guy Walter.
Pat’s retired father Lindsay Murphy was the esteemed 40-year Australian Turf Club General Manager of Racetracks, and is still a highly popular and regular identity on regional tracks.
“I grew up on racetracks, our family lived on the track at Canterbury Park for 20 years, it’s in our blood.
“My biggest supporters are Mum and Dad who have retired to Gerringong (NSW South Coast) – they’re at present holidaying for the Grafton Carnival.
“We’ve been doing Grafton as family for many years over the school holidays. When I started training it was a big thrill to win a race at Grafton.
“Mum (Bernadette) is in the syndicate of Victory Roll, they’ll be watching, I hope I’m more popular this time.”
Pat tipped family and friends Victory Roll when it was $2.25 into odds-on ($1.70) at Goulburn on extreme heavy two weeks ago when it was unplaced by many lengths.
The former David Van Dyke stayer had been dominant winning by three plus lengths over the same 2145m previously.
“Total forgive last start as it was bottomless heavy, the worst, they cancelled the rest of the program,” Pat explained.
“He’s been checked out thoroughly since, every test has come back normal, he’s back to where he was when he won so well.
“He is working well, is a happy horse, drawn in, has a claim and the distance suits. So I’m forgetting completely his last run.
“He’d won on the better side of heavy at Wagga and also on soft. While he’s back in distance of 1600m we know he’ll be strong off a 2000m win at home on rain-affected.
“And it’d be lovely if we could win a race with Amy. She started her apprenticeship with the Longmire twins down here, Amy’s been brilliant taking her opportunities in town with the bigger stables.
“I’m married to Emma (Longmire) and she’s got her own small team stabled near mine, we both ride work to help each other out.”
Pat concedes the horse is not well off under the set weights scale. With a three-year-old close enough in the weights to more experienced and older horses.
Especially Cranky Harry with 59kg ($2 TAB favourite) with prolific series winner Matthew Dunn and Nash Rawiller and coming off Doomben and Eagle Farm placings.
At present headquarters is a Heavy 8 under clear skies.
– Racing NSW
