Interstate gamble paying dividends for young driver

Moving interstate as a teenager to chase more harness racing opportunities in the sulky was always going to be a gamble for Declan Murphy.

But two-and-a-half years after leaving his Victorian home near Ballarat for New South Wales, the 22-year-old freelance reinsman is increasingly convinced he made the right call.

Murphy has established himself as a regular on the NSW circuit and now picking up 10 to 15 drives a week. He last weekend celebrated the biggest win of his career – his first metropolitan success at Club Menangle.

He combined with promising pacer Runkle (Sportswriter) for Bathurst trainer Aaron Williams to take out the $25,000 Club Menangle Waratah Final.

“I’ve had placings, but it was so good to finally crack my Metro win at Menangle,” Murphy said.

“I’ve been driving most of Aaron’s horses week to week and I drove Runkle in the heat at Cowra. He went terrific, smashed the track record by a second and a half, and won it very well, by more than 20 metres.

“He’s that kind of horse in front – you are never going to get past him – but from barrier seven in the final we knew that wouldn’t be the case and I ended up one-out and three back.”

Murphy went three wide at the 400, then four wide on straightening.

“For a while it didn’t feel like we were going to get there, but in the last 100 or so he really knuckled down and just got his noggin in front!” Murphy said.

“I was so happy for Aaron, too. They only train three or four and to be able to drive a winner in a metro race for them was great. The whole family was rapt in the horse, and rapt in the race. It was a great night.”

The victory was another milestone in a journey that began when Murphy headed north from Dunnstown, near Ballarat, initially helping Victorian trainer Mick Stanley with a team campaigning in Sydney in early 2024.

At the time, the son of popular Victorian horseman David Murphy saw NSW’s junior claim system and greater driving opportunities as a chance to further his career.

He subsequently spent time with Blake Fitzpatrick before joining the successful Rickie Alchin stable at Menangle Park, where he remains today.

“I just moved up here for the driving opportunities initially, but working with Rickie has been terrific,” Murphy said.

“There are about six of us here in the team now and around 50 horses in work. Every box and yard is taken, pretty much, and about 10 or 15 of those are usually babies – so there’s plenty to keep us busy. It never ends!

“I just love it though. Rickie’s fantastic in supporting me to take up driving opportunities – his attitude is just take everything you can get, which I really appreciate.

“Making the move wasn’t easy at first, but I’m now at the point where I’m getting 10 or 15 drives a week and getting some Metro level drives as well, which is a bonus.

“I think this is now a long term gig because in the driving aspect, I can get the numbers of drives to make a living here, and that was the key point for me moving here. I think the way the sport is going, here is the best place to be.”

Murphy has recorded 29 wins this season – his best tally since leaving Victoria after driving 50 winners in 2023.

Competing regularly against some of NSW’s best reinsmen, Murphy has worked hard to sharpen his craft.

“I’ve improved – the driving is very competitive here, not very lenient you’d say.  You have to push your way around a bit more, but I think I’ve benefited from a lot of guidance and feedback from Rickie and Ash (Delosa),” he said.

“It’s sometimes not that easy to hear the feedback, but you’ve got to take it on board because you know they’re here to help.”

Meanwhile, Murphy has maintained a healthy strike rate –  33 percent placings to starters, with 11 percent winners.

“You just hope other trainers and owners see that as well and are happy to give you a go.”

While driving remains the immediate priority, Murphy already has one eye on the next stage of his harness racing career.

“Initially I focussed on the driving part of things because I felt like that’s where I was going well enough to make it, but I’ve always had in the back of my mind to give training a go,” Murphy said.

“I’d like to get my trainer’s licence in the next year or two – but that’s a big challenge for young people wanting to get established in the industry. There are so many housing developments going on around Menangle, it’s tough to find somewhere to rent, where the barns aren’t full.”

When that opportunity does come, Murphy believes the grounding he has received from working with a variety of horsemen will hold him in good stead.

“Something I am always glad I did do was to help out at quite a few stables,” he said.

“I started with dad, of course, then went to work for Matty Craven at Terang, then to Mick Stanley’s, and Blake Fitzpatrick’s for a little while before I came to Rickie’s.

“I’ve seen a lot, learnt a lot, helping out in all those stables, and what I’ve seen and learnt I hope that I can put that into practice sometime in the future.”

For now, though, Murphy is intent on making the most of the opportunities coming his way in the sulky.

He still has a three-point concession claim in the country and at Menangle and hopes his breakthrough metropolitan success can be the start of more opportunities at that level.

“I’d love to start getting a few more drives at the metro meetings – and hopefully, down the track, some opportunities in nicer class races,” he said.

“You need that one good horse to kickstart you and hope the dice keeps rolling.”

 

From Terry Gange for Harnesslink