Date of birth: 14 May 1970 Place of birth: Ireland Main trainer: John Oxx English Classic wins: 3 (2 x Derby, 2,000 Guineas) 2002 wins: 15 2001 wins: 10 2000 wins: 17

He was unlucky to lose out to Mick Kinane in the jockeys' championship on the final day of the season.

But Murtagh had enjoyed good fortune earlier in the season, picking up the winning spare rides on Rock of Gibraltar in the 2,000 Guineas and High Chaparral in the Derby.

It was his second Derby victory in three years, the success on Sinndar in 2000 crowning a remarkable rehabilitation for Murtagh.

The former Irish champion apprentice lost his position with trainer John Oxx in 1992 after being cautioned over allegations he tried to cheat at the scales.

He went into a steep decline, lubricated by the bottle, and spent time out of the sport.

But Murtagh bounced back, and with the renewed support of Oxx and owner-breeder, the Aga Khan, was Irish champion jockey in 1995, 1996 and 1998.

Then came 2000, when he rode the winner of 12 Group One races.

Those triumphs included the Vodafone Derby at Epsom, Irish Derby and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on the brilliant Sinndar.

He was top jockey at the 2001 and 2002 Royal Ascot meeting, which included back-to-back Gold Cup wins on Royal Rebel.

But both earned him whip bans which saw him miss the Irish Derby for two years in a row.

However, he made up for that absence with victory in the 2003 renewal at The Curragh on Alamshar, the horse he had partnered to third place in the Epsom Derby.