He watched his uncle, Jim Culloty, win three Gold Cups and a Grand National. Oisin Murphy wanted to scale similar heights, but ten years ago, aged 14, the Killarney native set his sights on being the best on the flat. Champions Day at Ascot on Saturday will see Murphy crowned champion jockey in Britain.
"On a personal level, it's a dream come true, he revealed when speaking on 2fm's Game On.
"It takes a lot of hard work in that period from May to October to be the champion and need a lot of support from many different people. I have ridden 200 more horses than anybody else in this calendar year.
"Every jockey tries to ride as many races as they can, as many winners as they possibly can. Only few can mount a serious challenge.
"I have been very lucky in my career so far."
Yet, there was that Sunday at Salisbury in June, where Murphy failed a breath test. Even though he was well under the drink driving level, he still exceeded the accepted limit for drinking as a jockey. As he result, he had a Sunday off, but his whole season looked as it might unravel as he lost is focus somewhat, eventually falling nine behind in the title race.
"I was very embarrassed and genuinely did not want it to happen," he added.
"I'd like to be a good role model for any young sportsperson particularly in racing. I then felt a huge weight on my shoulders. I went nine behind in the jockeys race after leading by 132 but I got huge support from the trainers I was riding for.
"Towards the end of July, the belief came back, the focus came back.
Words of encouragement also came from Frankie Dettori, and it's clear that the young pretender has a lot of time for the Italian.
"Frankie and I get on well on a personal level. We ride for more or less the same people but obviously I'm an understudy to him.
"I'm a long way behind where Frankie was at the age of 24, he probably had ridden ten more Group 1 winners than me at that point. I've got a long way to go to scale his heights.
And so to the season finale at Ascot in a year where Murphy also led the jockeys championship in Japan at one point.
"I have got important rides in four races and I want to give each horse every opportunity to win.
"The build up to the day won't be easy but I will have to push it to one side. I will, however, have to show up and do my bit.
"Benbatl in the QEII is very important to me. He’s been around a long time and gave my my first ever Royal Ascot winner in 2017. He deserves to win a British Group 1."
