Dunnstown driver making a move

THE Murphy family have been involved in Victorian harness racing for many years – but now one of the clan from Dunnstown, near Ballarat, is all set to call himself a New South Welshman.

Twenty-year-old Declan has been in Sydney for the past six weeks and has decided to make that his base after getting a job offer he hopes will further boost his career.

“I’ve been up here looking after a team that Mick Stanley has been campaigning. We’ve been stabled at the McCarthys Cobbitty Farm which has been awesome,” Declan said.

“I’m all set to start working for Blake Fitzpatrick, at Cawdor, which is really close to Menangle. I start in a few weeks and I’m really excited.

“The junior claim system seems to give young drivers more of a go in NSW so hopefully I pick up a few drives and learn a bit more along the way.”

Murphy would have surely put himself under notice for trainers looking for a quality junior driver with two impressive wins earlier in the month – the first at Bathurst on He Bettor Step Aside ,prepared by Fitzpatrick, and then nine days later at Newcastle on Yahoo (Vincent), trained by Stanley.

“I was rapt when I won on Yahoo for Mick,” Murphy said.

“The horse only did what he had to and felt like he had more to give. It was also exciting to drive the winner for Blake and hopefully I can present myself well and pick up consistent drives.”

Murphy had been working three days a week for Stanley, and back home with his mum and dad for the remainder of the week.

“Mick asked me ages ago if I’d be interested in helping him with a team when he campaigned in Sydney,” Declan said.

“It’s been great to see how he does things. He’s very particular in everything, whether it’s looking after the horses or going to the races with spotless clean gear.

” I used to do a lot of travelling back in Victoria, sometimes for one or two drives, and that’s all part of it. But the tracks up here are reasonably close and it’s been nice to see a different part of the world.”

Murphy, who has driven 73 winners, is the son of popular horseman David, and was born and bred into horses. He said as soon as he left school he went straight to work at the stables.

“I skipped school to go to a couple of trots meetings and they told mum and dad that perhaps school wasn’t for me. I love the sport and hopefully I can make a go of it,” he added.