'As far as I'm concerned, I'm beating this thing' - popular trainer Pat Murphy diagnosed with lung cancer

Pat Murphy, who saddled Supreme Glory to win the Welsh Grand National in 2001, has been diagnosed with stage four lung cancer.

A popular figure in East Garston near Lambourn, Murphy began training in 1992 and has sent out around 200 winners. He enjoyed success with Shooting Light, who landed the Grade 2 juvenile hurdle registered as the Finesse in 1997.

Murphy said on Monday: "Back in the summer, I was getting short of breath walking up a hill. One morning I rode work and pulled up at the end of the gallop and I really was short of breath. I thought that wasn't right and thought I might have a bit of COPD [chronic obstructive pulmonary disease] and I'd get an inhaler and be away.

"Fair dues to the doctor in Lambourn who sent me straight in for a chest X-ray, which was followed a couple of days later by a CT scan in Swindon, followed by a diagnosis of stage four lung cancer, which is as bad as lung cancer gets. It's already spread to the lymph nodes in my neck and, unfortunately, there are a couple of small lesions in the brain."

He added: "As for the whole thing, I feel exactly like I have done for years – fit as a flea. I'm riding out and mucking out and doing everything I've ever done. Most of the time, 99.9 per cent of the time, I wouldn't know I had anything wrong with me. I could go on a route march on the flat tomorrow, but when I meet a hill I do get out of breath."

Supreme Glory jumps the last under Leighton Aspell on the way to victory in the 2001 Welsh National for Pat MurphyCredit: Julian Herbert

The 65-year-old will start three sessions of radiotherapy in Oxford next week and that will be followed by immunotherapy treatment in Swindon.

"I'm in the hands of the experts," he said. "I haven't had a negative thought about it. As far as I'm concerned, I'm beating this thing. I shall be living every day as it presents itself to me and enjoying it.

"The lung cancer wasn't necessarily a shock because you do have it in the back of your mind when it comes to problems with breathing. I did smoke, but haven't since I was 30, although the swelling in the brain was a shock and I got that news at 6.20pm on Christmas Eve. By then, it had spread, but I'll eke as much out of life as I possibly can. 

"The doctors asked if I wanted the prognosis and I said, 'No, I've worked in an industry based around gambling all my life and I'll take my chances'.

"I'm not going to feel sorry for myself and I'm going to get on with my life. It will limit my life, there's no doubt about that, but that could still be a long way down the road."

Murphy was buoyed by the effort of Infantryman in a bumper at Lingfield on Sunday. He is among the nine horses Murphy trains alongside assistant Joe Quintin.

He said: "Joe was the only one I could speak to at the start. I hadn't told my daughter and I wasn't going to spoil their Christmas as they were all here with me.

"I needed to speak to somebody and Joe was absolutely brilliant. He was a brilliant sounding board. We carried on with our work and, basically, he just listened, which is all I needed. He's been fantastic and is an absolute bloody star."