Patrick Murphy’s quartet of wins during April has earned him the Prydes Country Trainer’s Award. The Goulburn trainer got on the board when Sparklenglitter won an Orange Maiden on April 11th with Richard Bensley in the saddle. A week later Pat produced Isagura to win a Canberra Maiden with Winona Costin on board. On April 20th he came up with a Nowra double courtesy of Sparklenglitter (Richard Bensley) who strolled home in a Cl 1 by 4.5 lengths, and It Is To Be (Louise Day) who scored a gutsy win in the BM58.
Winona Costin gets Isagura home for the Murphy stable at Canberra 18/04/2025 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Pat got away to a flyer in the new month when Sparklenglitter (Richard Bensley) completed the hat trick with another easy win in the Cl 3 on Wagga Cup day. The trainer is understandably excited about the unbeaten record of a mare who cost just $2000 on an Inglis Digital Sale last year. “She’s been a surprise packet from day one,” said Pat. “You can see her improving run by run. Mick Price and Mick Kent Jnr decided not to go ahead with her after two ordinary jump outs in Victoria early in 2024 and next thing she turns up on the Digital Auction. She’s by All Too Hard out of a Hussonet mare which would have qualified her as a broodmare even if she showed nothing on the track. As it turned out she’s showing us plenty, and I think there’s more to come.”
As a youngster Pat was hellbent on becoming a jockey even though weight gain was inevitable. He surprised family and friends by lasting long enough to ride almost 300 winners. He spent all but a few months of his apprenticeship with the late Guy Walter and was devastated when the great trainer died prematurely in 2014. Only a year later Patrick was struggling to ride lighter than 59 kgs. His final win came on Sungine for Graeme Spackman at Albury in March 2015, with his swansong appearance resulting in an unplaced effort on Bonee Tess at Cessnock for Jarrod Austin three months later.
Patrick with father and best mate Lindsay Murphy, former GM of Racecourses for the Australian Turf Club - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Fast forward to November 6th 2021, and trainer Patrick Murphy made quite a statement on his home track at Goulburn. He scored his maiden training win with Affiliate in a BM50 and was delighted to have old friend Richard Bensley on board. He was still trying to climb off cloud nine a couple of hours later, when Amy McLucas rode the perfect race to win a BM58 on Bet Red. Pat was in total disbelief as well wishers came from everywhere to congratulate him on his winning double.
Another 53 wins have followed for the Murphy stable including a handful in town. Pat took another important step at the end of 2023 when he and long time partner Emma Longmire tied the knot. “Early in our marriage Emma had her own stables on course and ran a busy little pre- training operation for me and other local trainers,” said Pat. “Now she is the backbone of the business. We work together with just one team of horses and I have no idea what I’d do without her. We also share the joy of our two and a half year old daughter Peggy who keeps us on our toes.”
Twelve complimentary bags of Prydes EasiPerformance will be delivered shortly to Pat’s Goulburn stables, a fitting reward for his sterling effort in April.
Patrick Murphy jockey - A Canterbury win on Appearance for master Guy Walter 15/06/2011 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
(Banner image - One of Pat's four winners for the month of April - Sparklenglitter (Richard Bensley) strolls home in a Cl 1 at Nowra 20/04/2025 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
