Racing: Maguire in Murphy link

ADRIAN MAGUIRE is poised to clinch a deal to ride for Ferdy Murphy. However, the jockey, in his first full season since splitting with David Nicholson, will retain his freelance status for the 1999/2000 campaign.

Maguire won the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup on Sibton Abbey for Murphy in 1992, and made regular trips up north to ride for the Middleham-based trainer last season.

"He will still ride as a freelance and if he has a good horse to ride down south he will be able to," Murphy said. "You need continuity and Adrian and I go back a long way. Number one with him is looking after the horses and that is important as our horses are all big, National Hunt types."