CHAMPION jockey Oisin Murphy was sensationally kicked off his Newmarket rides after failing a breathalyser test.
The Irishman said he blew under the drink-drive limit but over the limit for riding.
A tweet from Murphy read: “I was requested to take a breath test at Newmarket today.
“I blew under the drink drive limit but over the riding limit.
“I’m sorry to all the people I’ve let down today. I take full responsibility. I will be riding tomorrow.”
The jockey previously failed a breathalyser test in July 2019 before a meet at Salisbury.
Murphy was banned after testing positive for cocaine last November.
ITV Racing pundit Jason Weaver said after hearing the news: “Maybe he needs some help, maybe someone needs to step forward.
“There’s got to be a fine line in between the discipline and the help.”
Murphy, 26, was removed from his rides just before he was about to mount Fiorina in the 1.15 at the Suffolk track.
He will miss his four remaining rides on the card, including the highly fancied Mise En Scene in the Group 1 bet365 Fillies’ Mile.
Murphy currently tops the Flat jockey standings with 147 wins – 11 clear of second-placed William Buick at the time of writing – and £3.7million in prize money.
He was cautioned for failing a breath test two years ago after a disciplinary hearing was told Murphy gave alcohol readings around 50 per cent over the limit for jockeys.
Back then, the jockey gave two breath test readings of 26 and 27mcg per 100ml.
The limit for jockeys riding in races is 17mcg. It is not known what readings Murphy gave this time.
Murphy – who needed hospital treatment after a freak paddock smash last week – has been enjoying a brilliant season since getting his career back on track after his cocaine positive.
He revealed how Frankie Dettori convinced him not to quit the saddle.
Murphy, who had his ban cut in half after authorities accepted his ‘sexual contact’ defence, said: “I felt like the world had turned against me, over something I didn’t really mean to happen.
“I probably spent a couple of weeks thinking about what I should do.
“When I say, ‘I wouldn’t get back on a horse’, I’d of course go riding on the roads and watch show jumping and ride as a hobby, but whether I wanted to race-ride again is something I wasn’t entirely comfortable with.
“That’s something I haven’t really touched on before, certainly not publicly.
“But I feel great at the moment, I’m in top spirits. But I need to achieve again.”
More to follow.
