Alcohol Free unseats Murphy after taking Coronation StakesJockey finishes first but later demoted in Commonwealth CupThere are ups and downs in any jockey’s life, but few have squeezed as many into one hour as Oisin Murphy at Royal Ascot on Friday. He was first across the line in the Commonwealth Cup only to have the Group One win snatched away in the stewards’ room, then bounced back to win the Coronation Stakes, another Group One, on Alcohol Free. Moments later, though, he went head-first into the Ascot turf, after being unseated from the filly before pulling up to return to the winner’s enclosure.
The only injury in the incident was to Murphy’s pride, and any embarrassment was overwhelmed by his delight at getting a first Group One winner at Royal Ascot on the board so soon after his bitter disappointment in the Commonwealth Cup.