Oisin Murphy: Jockey to return at Chelmsford from 14-month ban
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Murphy was champion jockey in 2019, 2020 and 2021
Three-time champion jockey Oisin Murphy is set to return from a 14-month ban with one ride at Chelmsford on Thursday.
The 27-year-old Irish rider has been booked to partner Jupiter Express, trained by Michael Appleby (18:00 GMT).
Murphy was banned for breaches of Covid-19 rules and for twice being above the alcohol threshold.
He must undergo regular testing to ensure he remains sober and avoids drugs to continue to hold a licence.
Murphy is due in Qatar at the weekend to ride Flaming Rib for trainer Hugo Palmer, with trips to Dubai, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain also pencilled in over the next few weeks.
He has spoken about his previous alcohol issues, telling the BBC last year he drank so much he had blackouts and feared it could end his racing career.
"When I was happy I would drink, when I was sad I would drink," he said.
"I put a lot of pressure on myself to achieve results, but I dealt with that pressure entirely in the wrong way."
Murphy voluntarily gave up his licence to seek support when he was charged by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) in December 2021.
He faced five charges, two relating to failed tests for alcohol in May and October and separate counts of misleading or attempting to mislead the BHA over his location from 9-12 September 2020, as well as accessing a racecourse in breach of Covid protocols and acting in a way that prejudiced the reputation of horse racing.
The Irishman had gone on holiday in September 2020 to the Greek island of Mykonos, which was on the Covid red list at the time, but he had attempted to convince officials he had been at Lake Como in Italy.