Oisin Murphy surprised his audience by achieving his first Group 1 win since his drink-driving conviction. In July, the four-time champion jockey was fined £70,000 and banned from driving for 20 months for driving under the influence. This incident occurred when he was nearly twice over the legal alcohol limit, and he pleaded guilty in court. Following this conviction, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) imposed stricter terms on his license, including a requirement to abstain from alcohol. This came after Murphy completed a ban for breaching Covid regulations and alcohol-related offenses in 2022.
Despite these challenges, Murphy, who finished second in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, clinched victory in the Grosser Dallmayr-Preis in Munich with Tornado Alert, a horse trained by Saeed Bin Suroor. The three-year-old horse triumphed over Map Of Stars by two and a half lengths, marking Murphy’s second top-level win of 2025 and his first Group 1 success since May.
In a post-race interview, Murphy expressed his delight in German, praising the horse and the atmosphere in Germany. He also showcased his language skills, having learned Japanese while riding in that country. Reflecting on the race, he commended Tornado Alert’s performance, highlighting the horse’s adaptability to the ground conditions and previous strong showings.
Suroor, the horse’s trainer, commended Murphy’s handling of Tornado Alert during the race, emphasizing the horse’s successful debut on heavy ground. Looking ahead, Tornado Alert has entries for significant races like the Juddmonte International at York and the Celebration Mile at Goodwood. Suroor, however, remains cautious about future plans, intending to assess the horse’s condition post-race before finalizing any decisions. He believes that a mile and a quarter is currently the optimal distance for Tornado Alert’s racing capabilities.
