KINGSTON, Jamaica - Trainer Dale Murphy like all his colleague conditioners of thoroughbred horses has had many highs and lows in his career.
At present, Murphy is enjoying noticeable success with his small string of horses. Murphy tells his story.
QUESTION (Q):
DALE MURPHY: (DM)
Q: Tell us about your background?
DM: I was born in the parish of St Catherine and that’s where I grew up. I went to Jamaica College. I graduated from the Jamaica Racing Commission’s racehorse trainers’ programme in 2007. From then I am still in the business going strong.
Q: How did you come into the sport of thoroughbred racing?
DM: It wasn’t difficult for me to venture into the racing industry as I was a punter, always at the track and so the love for the game eventually grew. From a punter to an owner and then I became a trainer. I started as an apprentice with trainer Ralph Porter and then to Albert Chong.
Q: Which horse was your first winner?
DM: I won my first race the same year I graduated. I graduated in September and won my first race in November with a little filly called She’s A Diamond. She was owned by Uton Stewart, who also trains horses now. It was a great and happy feeling when I won my first race, and that memory will always stay with me.
Q: At present, you are having success with foreigner Runaway Algo, what can you tell us about this horse
DM: Runaway Algo; he is the star in the barn right now. We got him from the farm, which most people call ‘bush”. He came here (Jamaica) as a yearling and then went to Lakeland Farm and then from Lakeland Farm he came to my stables and started training as a two-year-old. Runaway Algo is a very nice horse and he is improving and I think he is going places. Runaway Algo is the best horse I have trained so far in my career. He is the best in terms of quality, and best in terms of where he has reached right now, having just won at the Overnight Allowance level. I mean, I have had Overnight Allowance runners before but I have never won at the level and he came and won the first time of asking which was outstanding. I don’t think I have ever had a horse that won four races straight either and so he is the best. I trained a horse by the name of Prescription who won eight or nine races but not consecutively. I have never had a runner in a Classic race, and that remains one of my main objectives, not only to have a runner in a Classic race but to also win one of those prestigious events.
Q: What is your barn looking like at present?
DM: I have six two-year-olds in the stables right now. Of the two-year-olds, we have four local-bred horses and two importees. Minus the foreigners and paying attention to the Classic series of races next year, I have four bites at the cookie with the native-bred runners. We have three colts and one filly. One of the colts is Runaway Algo’s little brother and so the expectations are high. The filly is of the same sire of the horse that trainer Philip Feanny has named Power (Bal A Bali), and she is nice and the other two are good as well.
Q: Which is the best horse you have seen race at Caymanas Park?
DM: She’s A Maneater is the best. I don’t have to say much as everyone knows what she has done. I mean, she was a Triple Crown winner, she won the Superstakes three years in a row and the Diamond Mile twice. Don’t forget the many Graded Stakes, trophy races, and cup races that she also won.
Q: Apart from horse racing, do you have any other job or business?
DM: Everybody knows that I have a day job as a pharmacist and people always think that I am juggling racing as an extracurricular activity, but it has never been like that. It is two jobs that I have; two very important jobs, so I must measure my time to do well at both ends.
Q: How would you sum up your career?
DM: I think I am in my 40s now in terms of winners, but I can’t complain, probably it averages about two wins per year. This year I have saddled four winners already and I expect to do my best because I have the horses to work with. I am presently in a barn that has 12 stalls plus I have two more horses on the outside. Of the 12 here, half of the stables are two-year-olds and that augurs well for the future in terms of runners.
