William Haggas criticises Oisin Murphy for ‘professional foul’ riding tactics

William Haggas, one of Britain’s most successful and respected trainers, said on Sunday that he believes Oisin Murphy employs riding tactics that amount to a “professional foul”.

Haggas also claimed the champion jockey has been “getting away with blue murder for a while” as local stewarding panels are deciding that resulting interference is accidental.

Speaking on Racing TV’s Luck On Sunday programme, Haggas said that Murphy, who was crowned champion jockey for the fifth time at Ascot on Saturday, is “the best around” and “an outstanding rider”, but added that he feels the jockey can allow his mount to “lean across” an opponent, stopping their momentum at a vital stage of a race.

Haggas pointed to an incident in a juvenile maiden at Sandown in August when Murphy, riding Corinth for John and Thady Gosden, impeded Loz Vegas, trained by Peter Chapple-Hyam and ridden by Harry Davies, in the closing stages. Corinth crossed the line half a length in front and while Loz Vegas was awarded the race in the stewards’ room, the interference was deemed to be accidental as a result of Corinth “racing green”.

“There was an example that really, really upset me,” Haggas said. “I’ve been very upset over the past few years with the professional foul that jockeys do, that sort of leaning across a horse and then pulling the stick through and winning by a length.

“But if you are in a bicycle race and you have to stop suddenly, then you can’t actually get going again. When horses win by a length, they say ‘it’s won too easily’ [to be sure that the runner-up has been denied the win]. The jockeys know and they do it a lot.

“The incident with Corinth at Sandown, I thought he [Murphy] deliberately made sure that Harry Davies didn’t win that race. It got taken off him, but to say that was accidental is complete and utter madness. We have to step on this sort of thing because that, in my opinion, was bordering on dangerous. If [Davies] had fallen and gone to hospital, they would have made a song and dance about it. That is not the way to be riding from our champion jockey.”

While he was sharply critical of what he sees as potentially dangerous tactics employed by Murphy and other riders, Haggas also suggested that the blame lies with stewarding panels failing to treat such incidents as deliberate, and accepting jockeys’ explanations – such as that inexperienced horses are running “green” – too readily.

“That’s not his [Murphy’s] fault,” Haggas said. “He’s been allowed to get away with it. That is something stewards should be looking at more closely. Personally, I would not have jockeys in stewards’ inquiries because they look after themselves.”

Murphy, who is riding at Longchamp on Sunday afternoon, has not responded publicly to Haggas’ comments – but they were reposted on his official X account. The British Horseracing Authority have been approached for comment.