Oisin Murphy, who was three times been crowned champion jockey on the Flat in Britain, will make his debut over hurdles at Wincanton on Thursday.
The 28-year-old, who is also a keen showjumper, has partnered six Group 1 winners in 2023, led by the QIPCO 1,000 Guineas winner Mawj (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) for Godolphin.
His first public spin over jumps comes in the National Hunt Novices' Handicap Hurdle aboard Lets Do This (Ire) for Irish trainer Cian Collins but Murphy has plenty of experience working with jumpers through his uncle Jim Culloty, who rode the treble Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Best Mate (Fr) and also trained the Gold Cup winner Lord Windermere (Ire).
He said, “I worked with [Jim] in my teens, so jump racing has always been part of my life and it has always been a burning ambition of mine to ride in a jumps race.
“I took out a jumps licence earlier in the year, as at one stage it looked like I might get a ride in the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival.
“The programme of Flat racing means it is unlikely that I will be able to ride over hurdles often, but this opportunity arose as I know the trainer and owner of Lets Do This well. It is only a fairly low-grade handicap hurdle on Thursday, so it seemed like a good place to start.
“I have been schooling horses to prepare, though have not yet ridden Lets Do This.”
Murphy added, “It would be an amazing feeling to get a winner over jumps and I'm not looking beyond Thursday at the moment – I just hope I don't embarrass myself.”
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