Oisin Murphy picks up four rides on Summer Cup day at Turffontein
- Oisin Murphy to race in South Africa for the first time
- He's competing in the Betway Summer Cup at Turffontein
- Murphy's participation aims to highlight South African racing globally post-travel ban
Oisin Murphy celebrates becoming Champion jockey during the Qipco British Champions Day at Ascot. (Getty)
British Champion Jockey, Oisin Murphy will be having his first rides on South African soil at Turffontein on Saturday, including the Betway Summer Cup.
Oisin Murphy is one of the most popular and talented jockeys in Europe. The 29-year-old Irishman took his tally of Group One wins over 30 this year, before lifting the Champion Jockey trophy for a fourth time at Ascot in October.
Murphy has ridden Group One winners in France, Germany, Japan, the USA and the UAE. On Saturday, he'll attempt to add South Africa to that list, as he rides second-favourite Frances Ethel in the 2024 Summer Cup.
James Crawford managed to secure Murphy's services and victory for Frances Ethel would land connections the lion's share of the massive R6m prize pot. Crawford is also hoping that the presence of Murphy at Turffontein on Saturday will help elevate the profile of South African racing, following the listing of the travel ban at the start of the year.
"South African racing has always had top trainers, top jockeys and top horses but we haven’t had the privilege to share it with the world in recent years,” Crawford said. “It’s a massive thing for the travel ban to be lifted and it really puts South African racing back on the map again.
“I truly believe it is limitless the potential we have here in South African racing. The reason I’m so optimistic is because I know what we have and are capable of, it’s just a case of getting us to the right position and with the right people to allow it to prosper as it should. If we can, then the world’s our oyster.”
Murphy looks to have a live chance in Saturday's feature. Frances Ethel landed the SA Oaks here at Turffontein back in April, her fourth victory on the bounce, and warmed up for her first appearance in a Grade One with a decent showing in the Charity Mile at Turffontein earlier this month.
The betting for the 2024 Summer Cup is headed by multiple Grade One winner See It Again, who has finished second and fifth in the last two runnings of the Durban July. The full betting for the 2024 Summer Cup can be found here on our website...
Murphy, meanwhile, has picked up three further rides on Saturday's card at Turffontein. Oisin book of rides includes the Candice Dawson-trained Wild At War in the Grade Two Betway Dingaans, Joey Soma's Fiery Pegasus in the Grade Three Fillies' Mile, and Tony Peter's Meridius in the Consolation race for the Summer Cup.
