Murphy shaken by heavy fine

LEADING trainer Ferdy Murphy was yesterday fined £4,000 by the Jockey Club for comments made on the BBC programme ‘Kenyon Confronts’ earlier this year.

A disciplinary committee inquiry ruled that West Witton-based Murphy had breached Rule 220(iii) in that he had ‘‘acted in a manner which was prejudicial to the good reputation of horseracing in Great Britain’’.

Hidden camera footage used in the programme showed Irish-born Murphy indicating to reporters - purporting to be potential owners - ‘‘that if they put a horse in training with him he would be prepared not to run the horse on its merits to enable them to subsequently back it at favourable odds’’.