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Johnny Murtagh: “He was only starting to realise how good he was”
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Tue 9 Jun 2026
Johnny Murtagh has opened up on his distinguished career in the saddle, which included a remarkable 106 Group One victories amongst more than 3000 winners worldwide.
Eighteen of those top-level wins came in the famous green silks of the Aga Khan, including Sinndar whose seven victories included the Derby in 2000.
The six-time Irish Champion Jockey joined hosts Rishi Persad and Steve Mellish on Racing TV’s ‘Racing Greats’ series, and explained that his first Derby win was truly special – just like the horse himself.
“It was the first time I thought I'd had a good chance in the Derby,” Murtagh recalled. “I remember looking at the packed stands and said ‘Johnny, this is where you always wanted to be. You just ride this horse well, he’s going to win.’
“The Derby was the first horse race I ever saw – Shergar, when I was 11 – my uncle loved having a bet in the race. Nineteen years later, I'm in those colours, winning the greatest race in the world.
“It was fairytale stuff. Things like that happened to me in my career.”
Watch: Johnny Murtagh - Racing Greats
Sinndar only suffered one defeat in eight starts, when beaten a head by Grand Finale in the Ballysax Stakes.
“He was a good two-year-old, we thought he’d improve, and I remember thinking he’d done really well from two to three in the spring.
“After the Ballysax, I knew I’d never be beaten on this horse again. He wasn’t a great work horse - he’d only beat the lead horse by half a length at most - but when he went to the track – wow.
“In the Irish Derby he was under pressure - all I was thinking was how was I going to beat Montjeu later in the season? He was the big horse that year.
“But on Arc day, he won easily. He powered away.
“I think if he’d stayed in training the next year, he would have been exceptional. He was only starting to realise how good he was.
“You want to back it up in the Irish Derby, and those great horses can do that, they can put three or four back together. The greats will pull it out of the bag.”
Murtagh remembered how he himself didn’t truly flourish as a jockey until he truly believed that he belonged at the top level; he wasn’t born into a racing family, indeed he was introduced to the sport whilst competing at a local boxing club. His mother then secured a place for him at the Racing Academy and Centre of Education (RACE) in County Kildare, and after a spell learning alongside Joe Fanning, he spent his formative years with John Oxx.
“I was craving to get on racehorses – and when I did it took off like wildfire.”
Murtagh celebrates after winning the Irish Derby on Alamshar
Murtagh recalls his first Group One winner on Manntari – “a special day” - and his first winner, which came in a photo finish. As he was waiting for the result to be called, he was told: “If you haven’t won, you should have!”
A more comfortable success came courtesy of Alamshar in the 2003 Irish Derby, but it was an equally emotional one for Murtagh who was riding the second string for the Aga Khan. Dalakhani was sent off the odds-on favourite, but Murtagh’s knowledge of his home course proved decisive as he crossed the line first – with a pointed celebration, to boot – on the lesser-fancied Alamshar.
“’[Christophe] Soumillon might be your man in France, but I’m your man at the Curragh!’ I thought. The Aga Khan just shook his head! It was one of the great days, I got a great kick out of that.”
After leaving Oxx, Murtagh went on to record many more victories at the top level for a number of leading trainers, including Sir Michael Stoute, James Fanshawe, Ed Lynam and – most productively of all – Aidan O’Brien.
“The Montjeus were class but the Galileos just had that bit of dog in them. When it came to the race day, the Galileos just wanted it that bit more.”
Clearly that will to win was shared by Murtagh himself. "When people say you can't do it, I used to always think 'I'll show them, I'll show them.'
"I think that will always be in me."
With all of the great horses he rode discussed in detail, as well as his transition to training following retirement from the saddle, it's a must-watch episode; you can catch up with the whole interview by clicking here or visiting our YouTube page.
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