Johnny Murtagh (born May 14, 1970) is an Irish flat racing jockey from Bohermeen, Navan, County Meath.
He excels on the big stage, having won many Group 1 races around the world. His haul includes a clean sweep of the Irish Classic races, England's biggest races the Derby, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, all of Royal Ascot's Group 1 races and France's biggest race the Prix de L'Arc de Triomphe.
This sustained success over nearly two decades is all the more impressive as he cannot naturally meet the flat jockey's weight and has to spend the season very underweight.
Murtagh was a keen amateur boxer as a young boy. In a RTE radio interview Johnny stated that at a fight one evening in his native County Meath, a spectator advised his mother Johnny would make a good jockey, citing his small size, weight, good balance, sense of rhythm, and courage. His mother wrote to the school for apprentice jockeys i.e. RACE (Racing Academy and Centre of Education)in County Kildare, got a two-week trial for her son. He was one of 26 successful candiadates who progressed onto the RACE 10 month course.
In the same RTE interview, Johnny stated that he knew riding was for him as soon as he stepped into the world of horses. From the trial, he got on the ten-month training course, and within a year, he was apprenticed to John Oxx, one of Ireland’s leading trainers.
Murtagh was stable jockey to Oxx from 1992–2003, during which time he rode 18 Group One winners for the Aga Khan.
He was the Coolmore operation's number one jockey between 2008 to 2010. Between 2007 and 2010 he rode an incredible 47 Group One winners for Coolmore mostly for Ballydoyle maestro Aiden O'Brien.
He then resigned his post as stable jockey to Coolmore and was quickly snapped up by the Aga Khan again. The Aga Khan currently has 90 horses in training with John Oxx in Ireland, with Mick Halford training 30.
"I am thrilled to be renewing my association with His Highness' horses in Ireland," Murtagh said in a statement. We have shared some fantastic moments over the years and I have always enjoyed riding in the green and red colours. This will also give me an opportunity to ride for John Oxx again. I started off riding for Mr Oxx and it has always been a pleasure to be part of his Currabeg team."
Read more about Johnny Murtagh: Personal Life, Major Wins, Most Successful Mounts
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