'Oisin's not lost it, has he?' - an understated but significant day in the life of the former champ

After an exile of 14 months, Oisin Murphy returned with a winner on his only ride at Chelmsford on Thursday evening as he seeks to rebuild his career and reputation following a turbulent period which had marked a fall from grace for one of British racing’s shining stars.

Murphy could hardly have hoped for a better return as he skipped up the inside on favourite Jupiter Express in the 6f handicap, eliciting increasingly strained and loud roars of ‘Go on Oisin!’ from around the racecourse.

The three-time champion Flat jockey had not ridden since November 2021, the result of a suspension imposed on one of racing’s biggest names after a string of failed breathalyser tests for alcohol and for breaches of the Covid-19 quarantine rules.