
Oisin Murphy can continue riding while under charges for drink-driving
The four-time champion jockey was in action at Doncaster on Friday and has six booked rides at York on Saturday, the most high-profile meeting since he was charged while at
Royal Ascot
last week.
Murphy (29) has been charged with one count of driving a motor vehicle while over the prescribed level of alcohol and one count of failing to co-operate with a preliminary test at the roadside after a collision in the early hours of Sunday, April 27th this year.
He is due to appear at Reading magistrates court next Thursday.
READ MORE
It is understood the racing authorities, while monitoring developments, feel that nothing prevents Murphy from riding at present and the judicial process should be allowed to play out in the appropriate way. – Guardian

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Irish Times
8 hours ago
- Irish Times
Trump administration better-placed than courts to release Epstein files, says judge
A New York judge has said the Trump administration is in a better position than federal courts to release materials that would satisfy public curiosity about the sex trafficking case of the late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. In rejecting the justice department's bid to unseal records from the grand jury that indicted Epstein in 2019, Manhattan-based US district judge Richard Berman wrote that the 70-odd pages of materials the grand jury saw paled in comparison to the 100,000 pages the government has from its Epstein investigation, but is not releasing. The judge said the bid to persuade him to unseal the records was an apparent distraction from the justice department's decision in July not to release its files and directly cited another judge's decision earlier this month not to release similar materials from the grand jury that indicted Epstein's long-time girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell . 'The instant grand jury motion appears to be a 'diversion' from the breadth and scope of the Epstein files in the Government's possession,' Judge Berman wrote. The justice department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Judge Berman's decision came as president Donald Trump has faced criticism from his conservative base of supporters and congressional Democrats over the justice department's decision not to release the files from its Epstein investigation. [ Epstein scandal: Letters from famous figures published Opens in new window ] Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges. He had pleaded not guilty. His death in jail and his friendships with wealthy and powerful individuals sparked conspiracy theories that other prominent people were involved in his alleged crimes, and that he had been murdered. Mr Trump, a Republican, had campaigned for a second term in 2024 with promises to make public Epstein-related files, and accused Democrats of covering up the truth. But in July, the justice department declined to release any more material from its investigation of the case and said a previously touted Epstein client list did not exist, angering Mr Trump's supporters. To try to quell the discontent, Mr Trump in July instructed attorney general Pam Bondi to seek court approval for the release of grand jury material from Epstein's case. Evidence seen and heard by grand juries, which operate behind closed doors to prevent interference in criminal investigations, cannot be released without a judge's approval. Justice department investigations typically collect more material than prosecutors ultimately present to grand juries. Some of that evidence is at times eventually disclosed to the public during criminal trials. The justice department does not routinely disclose its evidence in cases where a defendant pleads guilty or, like Epstein, never faces trial, but it would not require judicial approval to release such materials. The grand jury that indicted Epstein heard from just one witness, an agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and saw a PowerPoint presentation and call logs, Judge Berman wrote. On August 11th, a different Manhattan-based judge, Paul Engelmayer, denied the justice department's request to unseal grand jury testimony and exhibits from Maxwell's case, writing that the material was duplicative of public testimony at her 2021 trial. Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison sentence following her conviction for recruiting underage girls for Epstein. 'A member of the public, appreciating that the Maxwell grand jury materials do not contribute anything to public knowledge, might conclude that the government's motion for their unsealing was aimed not at 'transparency' but at diversion - aimed not at full disclosure, but at the illusion of such,' Judge Engelmayer wrote. Maxwell had pleaded not guilty. After losing an appeal, she asked the US Supreme Court to review her case. – Reuters


Irish Times
11 hours ago
- Irish Times
Welsh Rugby Union defends plans to halve number of professional men's teams
The Welsh Rugby Union has recognised the 'hurt and anger' caused by their proposal to reduce the number of professional men's sides in Wales from four to two, but insisted maintaining the status quo is not the 'right thing' to do. Welsh rugby's governing body has produced a radical plan to turn around the game at both club and international level, outlining its ambitions in a 90-page consultation document entitled 'The Future of Elite Rugby in Wales'. There will be a six-week consultation period before the WRU makes a final decision on the plans, and WRU chief executive Abi Tierney has urged people to 'improve on the proposals' and provide 'something fit for purpose for Welsh rugby'. The WRU's proposal to halve its number of four men's professional sides – Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets – to two will be the biggest talking point in a document which outlined four potential models for the game in Wales. READ MORE It remains unclear whether the two future sides being proposed will be new entities or existing teams, but the two organisations will each have a men's and women's team. Tierney said: 'This is a momentous day for Welsh rugby. No decisions have been made, but we feel based on the analysis this is the strongest (option) yet. 'I know how emotional rugby is in Wales and people will be hurting today, when they think what it could mean potentially for them and their team. 'I recognise the hurt and anger people are going to be feeling. Change is hard and this is hard for fans. 'But fans' numbers drop has also not been a great experience for anybody, and we want to create an experience they can be proud of. 'What we were doing and keeping doing for fans was not the right thing. I would encourage everybody to imagine how exciting it could be and take that step into the future.' The WRU proposal comes amid Ospreys plans to move into a redeveloped stadium at St Helen's in Swansea for the 2026-27 season and the Scarlets having recently unveiled new investors. Dragons said this week elite professional rugby must continue in Gwent, while Cardiff are currently owned by the WRU having gone into administration in April. It is possible the WRU will face legal action from regions that could essentially be put out of business, with WRU chairman Richard Collier-Keywood saying 'two or three areas of potential legal challenge' exist. The WRU has also proposed the creation of a national campus at a site yet to be decided, which would be the home of the men's and women's professional teams, as well as Wales' national sides and the union's academy. Players were briefed on the WRU's plan on Tuesday and Dave Reddin, the new director of rugby and elite performance, is confident suggestions of possible player strike action will not materialise. Reddin said: 'The national campus would be a radical departure and doing something different, a defensive moat for Welsh rugby and creating a competitive advantage. 'We've got to look outside the box if we want to try and do things differently. 'Be brave enough to to lead sometimes and do things that no one else is doing. Do things that people think are a bit nutty, too different or too uncomfortable.'


Irish Times
13 hours ago
- Irish Times
Ombudsman eventually sweeps to York glory after another 150-1 pacemaker threatens upset
The saying is pace makes the race and if the 150-1 pacemaker Birr Castle threatened to turn Wednesday's Juddmonte International into a farce he ultimately set it up perfectly for Ombudsman to stamp his authority in York. For much of the race, though, it looked like turning into a repeat of last month's Sussex Stakes when another 150-1 pacemaker, Qirat, held out for an unlikely victory as the big guns behind him involved themselves in a tactical morass. Birr Castle was sent from France by Andre Fabre to cut out the pace for Godolphin's 7-4 favourite Ombudsman and try to avoid the muddling tempo blamed for the latter's defeat by Aidan O'Brien's Delacroix in Sandown's Eclipse. Rab Havlin did his job to the letter and cut out even fractions on Birr Castle. But the five other big guns, led by Japan's Danon Decile, opted to sit off him, concentrating on each other rather than the leader. At halfway Birr Castle was clear. On the turn in he had a lead of up to 30 lengths. READ MORE 'I thought two furlongs out Andre had won the race!' admitted Ombudsman's relieved joint-trainer John Gosden. Beforehand Fabre had joked to the Englishman about wanting another Qirat result. But it was a gag that threatened to get very close to the bone. Gosden's Field Of Gold was the biggest gun of all in the Sussex, but this time Ombudsman eventually came through to pick off Birr Castle, William Buick getting all the plaudits for judgment that winning riders usually get. Godolphin's sixth winner of the prestigious race ultimately reversed Sandown form with Delacroix by three-and-a-half lengths. Birr Castle plugged on for an unlikely third with See The Fire beating Danon Decile for fourth. If the 'right' horse won according to the market it still made for an unsatisfactory spectacle for such a major race. It also underlined once again that for all that pacemakers supposedly ensure an even gallop for everyone, they can come with a level of peril too. 'It was just a sprint, just a mess, really,' said O'Brien, someone usually keener than most to use pacemakers, although reliant solely on Delacroix this time. Buick, for his part, adopted a 'never in doubt' position, although the race hardly unfolded predictably. Rossa Ryan riding Pride Of Arras (right) to win the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York. Photograph:'A lot of things were going through my mind. I didn't expect Danon Decile to take back, I thought he wanted to chase the pace. Rab did his job beautifully and his horse finished third. 'This horse put in an amazing performance – unbelievable – so I'm delighted with him. He's a very, very special horse and he showed all his attributes today,' he said. Next month's Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown is Ombudsman's likely next port of call where complicated pace scenarios are hardly unknown either. 'What happened was the Japanese jockey was with Rab but then he kept taking back and let Rab slip the field. Past the two marker, he was still six lengths in front. William said when he let him go, he absolutely flew and went from second gear to fifth gear in the blink of an eye,' Gosden said. 'This is a great win, but I did think for a moment Andre would be the lucky man!' he added. It was a frustrating day for O'Brien whose dual-Derby winner Lambourn was one of four Ballydoyle runners in the Great Voltigeur, only for none of them to make the frame. Instead, it was Pride Of Arras who repeated his course win in May's Dante on his first run after a gelding operation. Due to that unkind cut he can't run in the St Leger but Paddy Twomey's runner-up Carmers is on course for Doncaster and another possible duel with Lambourn, who was only fifth. O'Brien said: 'He went grand, they went steady and he's lazy, I think it was a steadily-run race. All of them ran grand. The reason we ran Lambourn here was so that he had the option of either the Leger or the Arc. I don't think the Leger trip will be a problem, we know he stays a mile and a half well.' O'Brien's Italy had to settle for second in the Group Three Acomb Stakes behind the Andrew Balding winner Gewan.