New champion Oisin Murphy defended by Sheikh Fahad over drunken altercation

Qatar Racing and Qipco British Champions Day principal Sheikh Fahad has launched a passionate defence of retained rider Oisin Murphy, who began the day that saw him crowned champion jockey for a third time by seeing lurid headlines about himself on the back of two of Britain's tabloids.

The reports centred on a drunken altercation in a Newmarket pub the night before Murphy was stood down by officials at the first day of the Dubai Future Champions meeting this month after testing above the allowed riding limit for alcohol. As this was a second offence, Murphy will in due course face a hearing at the BHA.

Speaking at Ascot on Saturday, Sheikh Fahad lambasted criticism from what he described as "tabloid rubbish" and "armchair pundits".

"Nobody reads the tabloids, that's just tabloid rubbish," he told ITV Racing's lead presenter Ed Chamberlin.

"Unless you walk in his shoes, I don't think you have any say on what's happened or what's going on. He's like a brother to me and everyone knows that. I've heard a lot of the armchair pundits and armchair journalists, people watching on TV, on Twitter, all that.

"Unless you have walked in his shoes, you have no right to say anything. No-one's dead and everyone makes mistakes. He's a growing man, still a young lad."

Pushed by Chamberlin to assess the damage such reports might do to Murphy's position as a role model to the young, Sheikh Fahad said: "I think he's done more good than bad. I think he brought a lot of people into racing, a lot of the young lads into racing.

"You can't just pigeonhole him. No-one's perfect, we're humans after all. I don't think he should be pigeonholed like that and they've been very unfair.

"I think the racing community always comes together in times of need. If he needs help he will get it, it's up to him really."

Murphy secured his third straight title later on the card as Adayar's failure to win the Champion Stakes under William Buick left him with an unassaible lead. He subsequently addressed the Newmarket incident briefly, admitting: "I need to do better."

Read more on Oisin Murphy:

Oisin Murphy crowned British Flat champion jockey for third consecutive season

'I've let people down' - champion Murphy apologises after failed breath test

Oisin Murphy: I made a massive error and need to put things right

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