By Peter Moore at Sandown Park Thursday 6th August 2026

Picture: By Peter Moore

Champion jockey continued his pursuit of Billy Loughnane after bagging a double at Sandown Park on Thursday evening.

In front of his watching mother Marie, Murphy picked up a quick fire double at the Esher track after steering Edwin Hubble and Desert Shadow to victories.

In the 1m 2f handicap, only three runners went to post. Brian Meeham, who picked up a winner a week ago at the track, sent Edwin Hubble down to Sandown with a strong chance of winning the three-runner affair and wasn’t disappointed when Murphy was always doing enough on the three-year-old to land the odds by a neck from Interstate.

The champion jockey was soon back in the winners enclosure organising the customary winners photograph after Desert Shadow took the 7f handicap under top weight.

The gelding had won at Sandown just three weeks ago with a terrific turn of foot and once again his speed was enough in the latter part of the race to land the spoils by three- and three-quarter lengths for Newmarket trainer Saaed bin Suroor.

There is no stopping Richard Hannon who added to his impressive tally of winners by taking the 5f maiden with Elevating under Sean Levey.

Crazee In Havana under Murphy soon went to the front but found no extra in the final 75 yards with Elevating getting up on the line to win by three quarters of a length.

The line came just in time for Epictetus who managed to hang on by half a length from What’s The Plan in the amateur jockeys handicap, run over 1m 2f with Megan Jordan aboard for Jamie Osborne.

Two unraced horses were at the centre of attention in the class 3 maiden. 100,000 gns as a yearling First Law for Godolphin and Flight Tracker, a colt out of Sea The Stars for Juddmonte thought out the finish with First Law getting the better to win by a head. However, a stewards enquiry was called for possible interference by both horses. After a long wait the result stood.