About JP Murtagh Racing

JP Murtagh Racing is based on the Curragh in County Kildare and has access to an array of top class facilities across 1,500 acres of the beautifully historic Curragh plains.

There is no better sight than watching your horse being exercised among a necklace of horses in the morning, and with thirty mile of grass, sand and woodchip gallops, we have every facility available to train racehorses, quite literally, on our doorstep.

The Curragh has produced some of the finest thoroughbreds in racing, from the Epsom Derby, Arc De Triomphe, Guineas, Melbourne Cup to Breeders’ Cup winners.

Not only are the gallops of the highest quality, but they are maintained 365 days a year, and the different types of gallops available mean that we can cater for training in all weather conditions. “Rain doesn’t stop play”

Let’s Start at the Beginning

Johnny started his racing career here on the Curragh in 1987. He was Champion apprentice in his second season and Irish Champion jockey on five separate occasions. Throughout his glittering career in the saddle, Johnny amassed 106 Group winners and over 3,000 winners.

Johnny has been associated with many great horses and all the top trainers around the world. He has gained a wealth of experience and knowledge for all the trainers he has ridden for, to take up the mantle himself.

Johnny has an innate feel for racing and his knowledge gained from the leading lights in this sport belies his youthful years. He has the belief in himself to train top winners and we have the system and the staff here at Fox Covert Stables to take horses to the very top.

We have a capacity for 60 horses, with 60 loose boxes, a walker, outdoor and indoor rings, and are keen to share our dream of reaching the top of the training ladder together with our owners.

Our yard has already produced an Irish St. Leger winner in Royal Diamond back in 2012, who subsequently landed the Long Distance Cup on British Champions Day at Ascot in 2013 when historically he was trained and ridden by Johnny on the day.

Belle De Crecy also landed the Group 2 Blandford Stakes at the Curragh in 2013, while 2014 was a particularly fruitful campaign for us with Mutual Regard landing the prestigious Ebor Handicap at York along with Purr Along’s victory in the Group 3 Lanwades Stud Stakes at the Curragh and Ture Valour winning the Ballycorus being the highlights to date.

We run our yard to a very high standard, using only the best feed, hay and straw, all tested on a regular basis, as Johnny believes health is a huge flag bearer for winners.

Our Stable Jockey

BEN COEN

Stable Jockey at JP Murtagh Racing

BEN is a native of Fethard, County Tipperary. Ben had his first winner when he landed the Ash Brothers Building Contractors Handicap (Division 2) on Timia at Dundalk on November 17, 2017.

He won first Group race winner for J.P. Murtagh Racing when riding Know It All to win the Group 3 Derrinstown Stud Fillies Stakes at Leopardstown in July, 2020.

In 2021, at the age of 19, Johnny appointed Ben as his Stable Jockey.
Ben rode is his first Royal Ascot winner for J.P.Murtagh Racing when he rode Create Belief in the Sandringham Handicap for three-year-old fillies in June 2021. The following month he rode Ottoman Emperor in the Group 3 Gordon Stakes at Goodwood.

Ben had his first Classic success on Sonnyboyliston in the Comer Group International Irish St Leger at the Curragh in September 2021.
Johnn, has said that Ben is “the real deal” and “right up there with the very best in Ireland”.