Oisin Murphy: the Dubai World Cup is really important for my confidence - you have to prove yourself all the time

Oisin Murphy believes his performance on Dubai World Cup night at Meydan on Saturday will help set the tone for the core British Flat season.

The three-time champion jockey was at the track from 5am on Wednesday to partner two of his big-race mounts in work as he continues his world tour having raced in Saudi Arabia last month and Australia on Saturday. 

Murphy feels he has to keep proving himself following his 14-month ban for Covid breaches, conduct prejudicial to the sport's reputation and two positive alcohol tests. 

He said: "Saturday will be really important for my confidence levels. If I could get a winner it would really help with the next two weeks. The Guineas trials come up fast and in my mind I'm hoping to have chances. It doesn't matter if you rode a month ago or 18 months ago like me, you have to prove yourself all the time.

"This was a nice meeting to aim towards and try to get on an accumulation of nice rides. I'm fortunate to be handed these chances and I think I'm in a good position for Saturday."

Murphy won the 2019 Japan Cup aboard Suave Richard and recorded breakthrough victories for the nation in the 2019 Nassau Stakes on Deirdre and 2021 Breeders' Cup Distaff on Marche Lorraine. He will get the leg up aboard two new Japanese contenders this weekend, Perriere in the UAE Derby (1.50) and T O Keynes in the World Cup (4.35).

Oisin Murphy (left) gets a feel for Perriere at Meydan on Wednesday morningCredit: Edward Whitaker

He said: "This is the first time I've teamed up for private owners and not ones affiliated with Northern Farm. This is different and new, but it's important for me to be on them."

T O Keynes, the shortest price of his booked rides at 14-1, looked in particularly good physical condition under the floodlights.

Murphy said: "T O Keynes is a beautiful horse. He's really come in his coat, which is extraordinary for this time of year. He was a champion dirt horse in 2021 and was a little unlucky on his last start but he did everything right this morning. He changed leads no problem and international travel isn't new for him as he ran in the 2022 Saudi Cup."

The rider believes the draw could be key to his chance aboard 20-1 shot Perriere in the UAE Derby, in which the three-year-old will bid to reverse form with Derma Sotogake, who beat him at Kawasaki last time.

"Perriere is a very neat horse," he said. "He's a Listed winner at Tokyo and ran well in a local Group 1. It's a competitive race. He comes here with a good chance, and on paper draw three is good if I can get away. He's not very big, so it will be important not to get bustled around. Neither horse did hard work as they're fit from racing in Japan."

Murphy is also set to partner Quickthorn in the Dubai Gold Cup (12.40), Flaming Rib (1.15) in the Al Quoz Sprint and Real World in the Dubai Turf (3.10).

Read these next:

Britain's five best chances in the ITV-televised Group 1s on Dubai World Cup night 

‘They're hard to take on’ - Gosden wary of Japanese rivals as Lord North gears up for Dubai Turf hat-trick bid 

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