Oisin Murphy executes perfect plan to scoop £2m race on horse he said would win

The four-time British champion jockey landed a huge pot on the Japanese-trained Byantine Dream in the Longines Red Sea Turf in Riyadh

Oisin Murphy executed the perfect plan to scoop one of his richest wins on a horse he forecast would win.

The four-time British champion jockey delivered for Japanese connections when steering the 16-1 Byzantine Dream to victory in the £2 million Longines Red Sea Turf, a long distance handicap.

He was taking on the Aidan O’Brien-trained 2023 St Leger winner Continuous and quality opponents from Britain.

But the four-year-old, who had been fourth in Japan’s own St Leger, quickened best of all down the outside to defeat the David O’Meara-trained Epic Poet who finished late to relegate Continuous to third.

Murphy was elated at pulling off an international win for Japanese connections, his first since he captured the Breeders’ Cup Distaff on the Yoshito Yahagi-trained Marche Lorraine in 2021.

“It’s my first Japanese winner abroad in a long time,” he said. “The last was the Breeders’ Cup Distaff.

“I haven’t ridden in Japan for a couple of years so it’s nice to get back on such a good horse and on a really big day,

“These are very important owners. The Yoshidas have the biggest breeding operation in Japan through Northern Farms. I hope they are watching, although it’s 2am in Japan so a little bit late.”

Murphy was a regular visitor to Japan where he enjoyed considerable success but hasn’t returned for two years. He nevertheless remains in high demand on the international stage.

“It was a dream to get on Byzantine Dream and the race unfolded really well.

“He can sometimes break slowly. Today he broke well. From an outside draw in 11 I didn’t want to get involved in that rush to the first turn.

“So I was happy when I saw Ryan Moore just in front of me and we were able to have a smooth passage. With the hood on horses can sometimes be a little slow to react but when I asked him for a proper effort he really sprinted clear. He gave me a very good feel.

“I haven’t ridden in Japan for a couple of years so it’s nice to get back on such a good horse and on a really big day.

“I cantered him yesterday morning and I said he’d win.”