Stable worker disqualification reset, Queanbeyan trainer suspended over breach of ban

Racing NSW stewards have extended the disqualification of licensed foreperson Samantha Murphy by a further year after finding she breached the conditions of her ban by helping secure jockey engagements for horses trained by Rex Cole.

Murphy was disqualified until July 13, 2026 after the Racing Appeals Tribunal upheld the original penalty in April, but Racing NSW investigators gathered evidence that she had continued to provide services to a racing stable during the period of her disqualification.

An inquiry conducted at Thoroughbred Park in Canberra on July 22 heard evidence that Murphy contacted rider agents to canvass jockey availability and relay riding options to Cole for horses trained at his stable.

Stewards found Murphy had breached the provisions of Australian Rule of Racing AR263(1)(d), which prohibits disqualified persons from providing services to a thoroughbred racing stable, triggering the automatic restart of her disqualification under AR263(4).

Her ban was reset from the date of the most recent breach, June 23, 2026, and will now run until June 23, 2027.

Cole pleaded guilty to a charge under AR227(b) of being a party to Murphy’s breach by requesting and knowingly permitting her to assist with jockey engagements while aware she was disqualified, with stewards imposing a two-month suspension from July 29 to September 29 after reducing an initial three-month penalty in recognition of his early guilty plea and other mitigating factors.