Murphy was fined £70,000 and banned from driving for 20 months after being sentenced at Reading Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, with the 29-year-old having pleaded guilty to one count of driving a motor vehicle while over the prescribed limit of alcohol.
He later issued a statement apologising for his actions, saying “there is no excuse for what I did”, while the British Horseracing Authority confirmed he is free to continue riding amid plans to place new conditions on his licence.
Balding, who has a long and successful association with Murphy, enjoyed a Friday treble at Sandown, from where he told Racing TV: “He’d made them (details of the case) known in advance, but obviously we were hoping that what we were hearing was accurate and that was the case.
“Obviously it’s not an ideal situation for him or for us or for anyone really, but I really hope that we can take this as a point to move forward and I know he’ll be working closely with the BHA and we’ll be giving him all the help and support we can to try to ensure nothing like this ever happens again.”
Murphy travelled to America to partner former Balding inmate New Century in the Belmont Derby at Saratoga on Friday night, but is scheduled to be back in action in Britain on Saturday for seven rides at Sandown, including Charlie Appleby’s 2000 Guineas winner Ruling Court in the Coral-Eclipse and three booked mounts for the Balding team.
When asked if he would continue to support Murphy, the trainer added: “Yes, of course. Everyone makes mistakes, but I think as long as there’s an intent to improve going forward, we’re all behind him.
“It’s for the regulator to put in what they want to see going forward and let them deal with it.
“We have (had a long, professional relationship with Murphy) and we expect higher standards than that. It was a very unfortunate incident and I hope that’s the end of it.”
