Oisin Murphy denies using drugs after testing positive for cocaine

Champion jockey Oisin Murphy has denied ever taking drugs after a positive test for cocaine while riding in France left him facing a six-month ban from the sport.

Murphy, 25, who also leads this season’s title race by 14 winners with a fortnight of the season left to run and won the 2,000 Guineas on Kameko, was tested in Chantilly in July and was notified of the result of the A sample on Juddmonte International day at York in August.

In the meantime he has requested his B sample be tested. That is due to be carried out on October 7 or 8. He has had four strands of hair tested which have all come back negative. The collection of his hair samples was videoed.

“I’ve never taken drugs,” Murphy told The Daily Telegraph before riding at Chelmsford on Thursday. “I was hoping the B sample would come back negative next week and it would be all over but it has leaked out and it is now public knowledge. I’d told the people who needed to know and everyone’s been very supportive.”

Though both Kieren Fallon and Frankie Dettori failed drug tests in France (Fallon served an 18-month ban, Dettori six months), the two jockeys to have fallen foul of the French racing authorities most recently are Rab Havlin and Robert Downey.

Both were adamant that they had not taken cocaine and that it was the result of environmental continuation but both were handed six months bans despite Havlin having the full support of his trainer John Gosden in his case. Downey, however, could not even afford a French lawyer to represent him and neither man was ever informed of the levels of cocaine found in their samples.

Murphy believes Downey’s case failed partially because he was not filmed taking his hair samples hence the filming of hair being taken. Even so France Galop told Downey that hair samples were not ‘evidence of complete abstinence.’

“I’ve tried to cover every base and leave no stone unturned in proving my innocence,” he said. “We have also requested to be told the amounts of cocaine involved. It’s a big weight on my shoulders but I’ve continued to try my best and have ridden two Group One winners since I was told.”

The BHA said it had not been formally notified by France Galop, its French counterpart, but it would not expect to when the process was still on-going and being contested. “They haven’t stood him down so he will be allowed to keep riding until we receive any formal notification,” said a spokesman.

Were Murphy to be given a six month ban by France Galop, the BHA are obliged under international racing convention to reciprocate it.