Oisin Murphy: Winning Japan Cup aboard Suave Richard "a dream come true"

Champion jockey Oisin Murphy described his win aboard Suave Richard in the Japan Cup as "a dream come true" after he guided the five-year-old to victory in the Grade One contest at Tokyo.

Murphy, who has enjoyed a landmark year having been crowned champion jockey for the first time, says the iconic race is one he never thought he would win.

"I suppose it's a dream come true to have won this race. I was happy with Suave Richard in his gallops and he felt brilliant," said Murphy.

"The Japan Cup is one of the most famous races around the world and it's very hard to win, so I wasn't confident but very hopeful.

"Suave Richard has got a lot of quality, he's a very good mover with a lot of pace - if you've seen his gallops he does incredible times.

"On this (yielding) ground, horses get very tired and so I just wanted him to keep on going and after a big race it's very hard to immediately understand how important it is, but sure the Japan Cup for me is one of the best races in the world and I won't sleep for a week.

"It's a big relief (to have won my first major race in Japan), as I want to win Group Ones all over the world.

"The quality in Japan is really high and the world stage will be hearing a lot more about Japanese horses.

"I would love to win many more Group Ones in Japan, but it's very hard to win. I rode in the Epsom Derby when I was 18, but I didn't win my first Group One until I think I was 21 or 22."

It was a fine ride from Murphy as well as Suave Richard was sitting in third at the top of the straight in the 12-furlong contest, but switched to the rail by Murphy, the son of Heart's Cry found an extra burst to grab the lead.

Yasushi Shono's charge went on to win by three-quarters of a length and claim the first prize of £2,167,824, with Curren Bouquetd’or second and Wagnerian third.

Frankie Dettori, William Buick and Ryan Moore also had rides in the race, but they all finished down the field.

Murphy, a hugely popular rider in Japan, also thanked his fans and said he "won't be able to reply to messages for days or weeks" having received an abundance of congratulation posts on social media.