With a passion and understanding for horses, Murphy won big at the racetrack by using his knowledge and skills.
Murphy’s father trained and raced horses, which sparked his interest in horse racing. From a boy, Murphy had decided to devote himself to caring for and conditioning racehorses. The majority of the horses he worked with were steeplechase horses that competed on the National Hunt circuit in both Ireland and England.
Working for Nicky Henderson
As a result, he was offered the opportunity to work for Nicky Henderson, a National Hunt trainer who is considered to be one of the best in the country. Race horses were galloped for exercise, their manes combed, and manure shovelled by him. Murphy enjoyed the job despite it not being luxurious or paying substantially.
In December 2011, he believed five horses in Mr Henderson’s stable had been trained exceptionally well and were all scheduled to compete in the Cheltenham Festival the following year. Despite the obvious odds against him, Murphy bet $75 on the five horses, including Finian’s Rainbow (8-1), Bobs Worth (10-1), Simonsig (14-1), Riverside Theatre (9-1), and Sprinter Sacre (10-1).
Each of the five horses Murphy bet on had placed first in their events, as well as Finian’s Rainbow, which won the Queen Mother Champion Chase. In his excitement for the horses, Murphy almost forgot about the bet he had placed.
Despite the slim chance of winning all five horses, Murphy’s $75 turned into more than $1.5 million, which led to him quitting his job and becoming his own boss. As soon as Murphy won his big race, he moved to Kentucky to train horses for prominent jockeys. Bronterre, Dimension, and Mon Ami Jolie were three reasonably priced horses he purchased in England before he moved to the United States.